Etria's Odyssey
by Birdofterror
Summary: An in depth journey spanning the whole Etrian Odyssey universe's knowledge of geographical locations and history over the past 5 or so games, taking place on the continent of what was once known as North America, the town of New Etria begins to grow over yet another Yggdrasil Tree. Taking inspiration from Untold 1 and 2, this story will put extreme detail into the world around us.
1. The Doomed Voyage

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter One  
The Doomed Voyage

The waters are turbulent and the ships sways heavily along the uncontrollable sea. The clouds are dark and it's abysmal on deck, rain cascading across the wooden hull as waves crash against the sides, deafening all on top! The captain stays in control of the wooden wheel. He's a large man, standing over six feet tall with dark armor, he maintains an inhuman grip as he continues to sail west across this vast and untamed ocean.

This ship set off westward from the nation of Lagaard, a cold nation in the north. It has maintained several difficult to maintain trade routes, one snaking north across the frozen Arctic Circle to Ontario, the other travelling vastly to the east to the lands of Etria. But to the west, this ocean is cataclysmic and unsuitable for travel. 365 days a year, 7 days a week, this Ocean is in a turbulent storm. Even the northern trade route across the arctic circle must be maintained only during the summer when the landscape isn't so hellishly cold as to kill those attempting to traverse Svalbard's solid ice sheets.

But the captain of this boat is determined to chart a nautical coarse to safely travel west to reach Ontario by sea. If he can, trade routes for Lagaard will boom immensely, allowing yearly trade, not just seasonally during the summer. This is not his first travel by sea and is in fact his third. His first two trips to the west actually made landfall, but much further south than Ontario, further south than even Quebec in fact. He landed in an interesting area that he's turned into his own town.

Being funded by not just the Grand Duchy of High Lagaard, but also the Radha of Etria, the captain in black armor is being instructed to make journeys in ships like these, large, unwieldy ships filled with passengers. Only a dozen or so nobles, with more than a hundred orphans, criminals, and outcasts. These men and women aboard will start a new life in the west, creating a new nation, but the Captain has never made the journey across the ocean with such a massive, clunky ship! The storm is especially bad during the summer, and he's not sure if he can make it. He says a silent prayer under his breath as the dark clouds rain down upon him, his iron grip upon the ship's wheel.

* * *

Within the second level of the boat, dozens of children of varying ages, all wearing similar brown tatters fight back the leaking rain falling on them from the deck above. Among the rabble, two of these orphans have established a familial bond with each other. An older teenage girl, probably around 16, and a younger boy around age 13, huddle in a corner, avoiding the rain as they console each other over the perilous nature of their journey.

"We'll… be fine! The captain made this journey a bunch of times before!" The girl says convincingly. Her hair is a dark blonde, almost brown. She's quite tall and has blue eyes. Like all the other children, she's wearing brown tatters that cover her body and legs, with low quality sandals.

"I know… I know… but when we arrive, I'm so nervous… are we really going to get a better life?" The 13-year-old boy asks. His hair is solid black with brown eyes and he's short compared to her, barely reaching 5 feet.

"It's okay, Abel, as long as we stick together, we'll be fine! Think about it, we could open up a bakery, or a fishery!" The girl says, calling out the boy's name, remarked now as Abel.

"I… I trust you Karina." Abel says.

* * *

The boat's ails begin to clear as they come in sight of shore. The clouds begin to relent, and the waves stop. The captain sighs in relief, but not is all safe yet. They still have about an hour of sailing before they reach land.

This is not Ontario, nor is this even Quebec. Instead, this is the new town he has been founding with the blessings of the dual governments of Etria and Lagaard. To Lagaard's dismay, the captain has named this land:

 **New Etria.**

Unfortunately, the sea near the coast is far from safe just because the storm is calmer. In fact, to the Captain's dismay, a bunch of sea creatures burst onto the deck of the boat and quickly wriggle their way below!

"THE PASSENGERS!" The captain yells, letting go of the wheel and drawing his pistol! He drops a small portable bunker that begins to shoot at the sea creatures, little squid monsters with feet that quickly go down at the ferocity of his attacks! He shoots a dozen more, but a few still slip into the decks below!

* * *

Below, the monsters begin harassing the orphans on the second deck! The kids scream and are backed into corners as they begin to creep up on them! However, Abel and Karina have a straight shot to the upper deck!

"Come on, Abel, now!" Karina says, grabbing Abel's hand and attempting to run away, only to have Abel shake her off.

"We have to save them!"  
"With what?! Good intentions?! We don't have any weapons or armor!"  
"B-But…!" Able says, before their eyes the monsters begin to barrel down on the orphans, before someone from a deck even lower busts up! He draws a large saber and positions himself between the children and the monsters. He dodges a lot of the squids' attacks, before retaliating with a barrage of swift thrusts!

"W-Whoa…!" Abel says.  
"Happy? NOW LET'S GO!" Karina says, snatching him as he nods and they run up the rain-damp stairs. They arrive at the surface with a lot of other orphans, only to be met with a gigantic monster on the side of the boat, suction cups dug into the hull and keeping it still as it begins to smash against the sails and poke holes in the deck, causing it to sink!

"ABANDON SHIP! WE CAN'T FIGHT THIS THING!" The captain yells out, starting to load up life boats, but there's only enough to save a few dozen people. Even at full capacity, more than 200 people will die if they run away…

Abel looks among the chaos, the Kraken squeezing and shattering the wood of the ship as the mast falls to the water, causing a huge splash. His eyes go blank and his breathing quickens. Karina drags his shocked self over to a nearby boat.

"There's not enough space, sir… who gets the boats?" Karina asks the captain. He looks over.  
"Women and children, you and him, get in. Now! I'll hold this thing off as long as I can!" The captain roars, dropping a portable pillbox next to the Kraken, drawing its attention as it attacks the captain!

The life boats quickly fill up, but Abel snaps back into reality and jumps off the boat before it descends to the water!

"ABEL WHAT ARE YOU DOING-" Karina tries to say as the lifeboat hits the water with Abel climbing up the sheer face of the sinking ship to arrive at the surface! He looks around and sees a Squid's harpoon, he picks it up and runs over to the captain. Abel is over 2 feet shorter than him but he stands at his side!

"Kid, get back! This monster is going to kill you!" The captain yells in protective fear, leaving his bunker to push him out of the way, only to be brought back by a dark flash of light!

 **"This… POWER!"** Abel yells out as his body somehow transforms! The Kraken's eyes go wide and it tries to slam down on him, but he raises his arm and catches the tentacle! The captain looks and underneath his helmet, his eyes go wide.

"That's… a… Fafnir transformation!"  
 **"No time to gawk, we have a monster to kill!"** Abel yells! The captain looks back to his bunker. The concept of actually killing this thing seemed impossible, but with a Fafnir…

He nods and gets back into his bunker, aiming out of it and launching a barrage of attacks from his hand-cannon! The kraken diverts its attention back to him as Abel thrusts the spear at it, becoming emboldened by the Fafnir's energy, launching a barrage of elemental attacks! Fire, ice and lightning blasts hit the Kraken in the eye, causing it to writhe in pain! It opens its large beak and barrels down on Abel, but he pries it open with both hands, his right arm being transformed into something else entirely by the Fafnir transformation!

However, even with this strength, the Kraken's beak seeks to end Abel, but the Captain crashes into the Kraken's soft underbelly shoulder first where a large spike impales it! It screeches and Abel takes that moment to unleash a devastating arm-cannon attack and blasts it directly into the Kraken's mouth! In defeat it slinks into the water, retreating! They look at each other, briefly reveling in their victory before dozens of survivors scramble up to the deck!

"The boat is sinking, deck 3 is completely flooded!" Some of them say. The captain runs to the wheel of the ship and looks over, noticing the life boats have almost made it to New Etria, but this boat might not make it.

"Should we swim?" Able asks, his Fafnir Transformation subsiding.  
"With all those things in the water? No, we have to make it to shore somehow…" The captain admits.  
"I'll do what I can… but hold on… this is gonna be bumpy!"

* * *

 **Author's Note:** _This is a new story I've been brewing up in my head for years, ever since Untold 1 and 2 came out, and solidified an idea I've had since Etrian Odyssey 3._


	2. The Town Shining Afar

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Two  
The Town Shining Afar

The captain of the ship very stressfully guides the boat into harbor before it grinds along the shore, coming to a halt halfway underwater and pocked with holes.

"Well… we're here." He lets out sarcastically, unbefitting of a man in a suit of intimidating armor. He lets out a sigh of relief and takes off his helmet, showing himself to be a scarred, but russet and distinguished blonde man with stubble upon his face. All of the scared and frazzled orphans and high society members shakily leave the boat, while the prisoners from the lower deck are escorted by guards to the census office. Two people conspicuously stay behind with the captain. Abel looks up to him.

"What… happened to me? I heard you call it something."  
"It was a **Fafnir Transformation.** I've only heard about it, but I've never actually seen it with my own eyes. But… you being a Fafnir raises questions." The captain says, putting his helmet back on. Karina steps to Able and holds his arm.

"W-Well, you can answer them at the orphanage. We still have to find jobs, and preferably stay as far away from the sea as possible." She says, aggressively, her dark golden hair swaying as she turns around and brings Abel with her. The captain crosses his arms and thinks.

"Why…? Why is there a new Fafnir? It's been 10 years, and I don't believe Caledonia has had a new heir in this time… so who chose this child as a Fafnir…?"

* * *

Abel and Karina regroup with the other orphans in brown tatters as they walk through this surprisingly bustling town. Wasn't this town only built a few months ago? How is it so active?

"Wow, this place is more populated than Lagaard." Karina remarks as they gawk at the town's brown and red brick housing and wooden rooves. They follow the group into a large building. It looks less like and orphanage, and more like a barracks. As soon as they pass the spinning doors a tall man with a board and pencil stands towards them.

"Names." He says sternly.  
"Oh, uh, I'm Karina, and this is Abel. We're orphans from Lagaard." She explains. A tense few seconds pass as the man looks over his paper.

"Alright. You, girl, go in that room. Kid, Abel was it? You've been selected to see the guildmaster."  
"G-Guildmaster?" Abel blubbers.  
"Wait, hey!" Karina says, jerking Abel back-  
"We have stuck together for years ever since his mom died!" She growls. The man sighs.  
"Look, I'm just doing as I'm told. That kid has been specifically singled out by the guildmaster. Something about a boat." He says, boorishly.

"Well, screw him. Come on, Abel."  
"Wait, Karina…" Abel says, shaking himself from her grasp. She looks back, shocked.  
"I… something happened to me on that ship. I think I should see the guildmaster."  
"B-But, Abel… we've always stuck together since your mom…"  
"…" They both stay silent for a while. Heavy-heartedly, Abel turns towards the man. He simply nods and points towards a room in the back. Abel walks in slowly.

Karina frowns as the sea of orphans drowns out her vision of him.

* * *

Even with sadness on his face, he squints as he enters a hallway that combined the orphanage with the Guild-House. Light cascades through stained glass windows as he passes by a few well-armed guards, still in his brown tatters and sandals. He opens his eyes wider to view the guildmaster, only to cock his head.

"Wait, aren't you the captain?" He asks. The man in the chair wearing the solid black armor nods, taking off his helmet, once again showing himself to be the russet and battle-cut blonde man.

"Indeed. I have a lot of jobs here in New Etria. The most pressing is as the town's mayor, secondarily… I have opened a new Guild-House. I'm sure you're curious as to why I called you here." He says with a dignified tone.

"Actually, I have a feeling I already know. It's about my Fafnir Transformation, isn't it?" Abel asks. The man nods with a stern expression.  
"Indeed. Your transformation was more than just exactly what we needed at the exact time we needed it, it's a sign of dark things to come." He says, his expression growing dire. Abel's face twists into one of worry, but the man sighs and smiles.

"I… assure you, that, at least for now… everything is fine. But later, something may happen. For now, I'd like you to join us." He asks, taking something out of a drawer and putting it on a desk. It's two things actually, a small bag, and a shiny badge.

"What is… this?" Abel asks, walking up to the Desk, meeting the guildmaster and mayor face to face.  
"This badge is an explorer's badge, it proves that I've deemed you worthy to explore the Yggdrasil labyrinth. The bag, is an explorer's allowance. Each explorer is generally given 100 Ental to purchase weapons and armor, but guild leaders are given 500 to start their own exploration squad of no less than 5 people. This bag with 500 Ental, as well as the explorer's badge, are yours." He says, pushing the gifts to the lip of the desk, to be picked up by Abel.

"F-Five hundred Ental… that's more than half a year's work at the docks in Lagaard…" He stammers.  
"It's yours to do with as you see fit. But an additional gift for you is… this." He says, getting up from the chair and opening a chest at his feet, taking out what looks like clothing and armor. It's dyed equal parts tan and red. The leggings contain free-form fur pants while the cuirass is a thin layer of plate covered in leather. There's also, for some reason, a large armored arm and gauntlet, but only for one arm.

"What's with the arm?"  
"You mean the armored one? Well, I've actually been meaning to ask you-" The guildmaster states, looking at Abel's clothing. He's wearing long sleeved brown tatters that obscures his limbs. He continues to speak-

"Have you seen your arm lately?"  
"My arm? What about… it… WHAT THE…?!" Abel blubbers, lifting his sleeve to show that his arm has turned solid black, almost as if it's a monster claw!  
"Your Fafnir transformation has begun… but surprisingly, it doesn't seem to have spread to your hand yet. But it may, soon. When that occurs, this armet, the gauntlet and arm combo; will help defend you, and also obscure vision to your arm."

"S-Sir… what… IS a Fafnir?" Abel asks.  
"I will tell you… soon. For now, you have someone to return to."  
"Huh? Someone…?"  
"Your friend… sister… girlfriend, whoever she is. Karina, was it?" He asks, sitting back down. Abel takes the clothing and begins to put it on over his brown tatters.

"She's my adoptive sister. My mom died when I was young, and her mom adopted me… only for her to die later as well. We became orphans at the same time, and we've gotten this far by relying on each other." He says, slipping on the armet and fur pants, finishing his getup. He looks like a medium-armored soldier, despite being short and young.

"So… I can share the money with her?"  
"It's your money to do with as you see fit." He says, starting up on some paperwork.  
"And what did you mean about being a guild leader?"  
"All will be made clear in time, Abel. You said you came here to find a job and start a new life, right?"  
"… Yes." He says with finality.  
"Then let's consider you employed, and your first paycheck is up front. You may go now, I have many things to take care of… and a lot of letters to write to Caledonia." He says, mentioning the hereditary nation of Caledonia. Why does that sound familiar to Abel?

Regardless, donned in new fur, leather, and plate armor, he walks out of the Guild-House and into the orphanage.


	3. Old Habits in a New Town

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Three  
Old Habits in a New Town

Abel walks back into the orphanage donning new clothes and armor, as well as a pocket full of Ental. He can see Karina looking over at him, but she doesn't say anything. She seems confused and squinting. Abel waves and smiles, causing her eyes to go wide.

"A-Abel? That IS you! I… I wasn't sure because of… all of this. What are you wearing?" Karina asks, walking towards him. She's a bit taller than he is, but his armored boots and helmet make them look about even.

"This is armor the guildmaster gave us. Did you know the captain of the boat is also the guildmaster- and mayor of this town?" He laughs. She cocks her head.

"That's… a lot of jobs. Why did he give you that armor?"  
"Not just the armor, look at this." He says, taking out the sack of coins. At first she doesn't know what it is, until he places it on her hand and the distinct noise of coins jingling hits her ears. She looks inside, and her face goes red.

"What the- this… this is Ental, a LOT of it! Why did he do all these things for you?"  
"Honestly? I don't know, but he said I can share it with you. So, here, take half." He says, pouring half of the money out and putting it in his pocket, while giving the bag to her. She reluctantly takes it, but shakes her head.

"Abel, I… I don't know what to say… we came here to find jobs, and here both are, standing with 250 Ental each. This could afford us more than a month at the nearest inn! Lodging, good food, warmth, and we could even find jobs along the way!"

"We could, but… I think I'm already employed."  
"Really? Did he give you a job?" She asks again, amused.  
"Yeah… I think… uh, I'm the leader of a guild." He chuckles, scratching the back of his head.  
"A… guild? You mean… like a guild of explorers? TH-THERE'S A LABYRINTH HERE?!" She yelps!  
"Shh shh, calm down! It's not that bad!"  
"NOT THAT BAD?! ABEL, YOU COULD DIE DOWN THERE! Do you not remember what these labyrinths are supposed to be like?! Do you not remember Etria? Or Lagaard? Stories of hundreds, thousands of people being swallowed up before a dark truth is unearthed by one lucky party?! If you accept his position as a guild leader, you will be sent into some hole to die! I won't let you!" Karina yells out, grabbing him by the ear and forcing him into the orphanage!

"Ow ow ow! Hey, yeesh, fine! Just let go of me!"  
"You'll stop?"  
"Yes yes, now let go!" He yelps like a puppy. She lets go and then immediately holds his hand.  
"Don't leave me like everyone else has, Abel. If you die, I have no one."  
"…" Abel didn't quite understand how much he meant to her until that exact moment. Regardless, he finds himself within the orphanage. Apparently, it was very recently built and it's quite serious. Kids of all ages are being given tasks and chores to perform to earn their stay as well as give them walking-around money, so they can function at least somewhat independently.

A day's work is about 2 Ental. Abel looks at the coins he has in his possession. Even after splitting it with Karina, it's still worth over 100 days of orphanage work. He walks deeper in, his armor catching the eyes of his peers. Children smaller than him run up, recognizing him as someone they know, but at the same time, the armor fascinates and enthralls them.

"Abel? What are those clothes you're wearing?" They blurt out. Karina looks back as he explains;  
"This? This is just some armor. I got it as a gift." He says. The kids look a bit dour, looking at their own brown clothing. He starts to feel a little bad and scratches his head. He quickly bets behind a curtain and disrobes into his orphanage-wear, all of it except his iron armet. He puts the armor into his footlocker at the end of his bed before walking over to Karina.

"So, what's the plan?" He asks.  
"Well, we still have to get jobs. This is a new town, I'm sure there's no shortage of help needed. I'm gonna go check the docks. Wanna come with me?" – "Sure." He responds, following her along as they leave the building.

* * *

Karina stretches as the warm sun hits her skin. She looks back and cocks her head.

"You're still wearing that metal arm armor?" – "Yeah, I think it's a good idea." – "That's weird. Come on, let's go to the docks." She says, running over. Abel quickly follows suit as they dodge pedestrians. Immediately, someone is holding up a sign saying "looking for work" on the wharf. Karina knowingly smiles and they both run over. The man sizes them up and shrugs.

"Sorry kids, I'm looking for strong workers." The man says. Karina scratches her nose and grins.  
"Oh come on, we're plenty strong!"  
"Oh yeah? Take this hammer and hit that lever over there." He says, giving her a hammer. She looks over at the strange device. It appears to be some kind of game. Hitting it at the bottom causes an iron to shoot up towards a bell at the top. She grabs it with both hands and crashes down!

The iron goes about halfway up.

"Not bad for a little girl, but I'm looking for men to work in the Calcium Mines just outside of town."  
"Let me give it a try." Abel says.  
"You? You're even smaller than she is, squirt." He chuckles but gives him a hammer anyway. Karina scoots away as he holds the hammer with his armored hand.

"You might want to hold it with both hands." Karina suggests. He merely looks over and raises an eyebrow. Before both of their eyes, he smashes down with enough force to cause the iron to hit the bell at the top!

"OH! Wow, well I'll be! You're damn strong, squirt! That's a man's strike, I'm sure you'd have no problems holding a pickaxe. You a new kid from the orphanage?" He man asks. Abel nods.

"Mmhm. My name's Abel."  
"Well Abel, consider yourself hired. How's 10 Ental a day sound?" He asks with a smile. Karina looks over and pats him on the shoulder.  
"That's a lot more than we've made in a job before." She says, strangely seriously, but still with a calm smile. As Abel looks back at her, she continues.  
"Everything is improving since we got here. Those monsters in the water scared me, but maybe this is where everything turns around, Abel. Maybe this is where we finally make it." She frazzles his hair real quick and walks off.

"H-Hey, where are you going?"  
"Well, strongman, I still gotta find a job. I'll catch you back in the orphanage by sunset!" She playfully yells, disappearing into the crowd. Abel crosses his arms and smiles.

* * *

The guildmaster puts his quill down and reads over his letter one last time.

It's a very to-the-point letter written directly to the royal family within Caledonia. It covers the resurgence of the Fafnir, and recapping why it is the Fafnir exists…

The Fafnir exists solely as a power to be sacrificed, and used to seal away a dark and evil energy… but years ago, brave heroes, including a Fafnir Knight and a princess of Caledonia stopped a great calamity… so why now, all this time later, has another Fafnir Knight awakened?

He put on a strong reassuring face for Abel, but in reality, the mere existence of a Fafnir being confirmed at the same time he discovered an Yggdrasil Labyrinth within the Calcium Mines… not to mention the attack on the boat. What were those monsters after? Were they after the Fafnir?

He folds the letter and seals it with wax. He gives it to his courier who will deliver it in a few weeks across the ocean to the island nation of Caledonia. But for now, he ponders. His armored gauntlet clacks against the desk as he thinks and wonders why. Why now, why here? He darts his eyes around the corners, remembering Etria, remembering Lagaard, remembering Armoroad… every one of them had an Yggdrasil Labyrinth within them, and that drew explorers to their town… explorers who more often than not, died…

The guildmaster grabs his head and begins to groan. Does he tell everyone that the labyrinth is here? After all, each and every time, from Etria to Armoroad, these labyrinths have contained some dark secret within them, something that changes the very nature of the world… an evil energy that, if not unveiled, could swallow the city whole.

"But… we have a Fafnir…" He says to himself. He begins to open his eyes and look out of the stained glass window.  
"But… a Fafnir with no Caledonian princess…?" He mutters to himself, remembering a crucial detail. A Fafnir knight cannot awaken on his own and must be chosen by a princess of Caledonia. Who could that princess possibly have been?


	4. B1F: The Calcium Mine

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Four  
B1F: The Calcium Mine

A mere hour or so later, Abel finds himself being escorted by a small party of large men heading into the Calcium Mines just outside of New Etria. He's slightly out of place, being dwarfed by 1, sometimes 2 feet by each man. They walk inside, a pretty cave with orange and cream-colored rock formations opens up a rather large world inside of it, complete with bridges, mine carts, stalagmites, and stalactites.

Abel and his group of 3 or so other miners find their way to a dead end with pickaxes. He was instructed earlier to pick at the orange and cream-colored walls until he pulls white stones out. Rock Salt and Calcium Ore are hard to come by in New Etria, and worth a pretty Ental. For 10 En a day, it's hard work, for good pay. He picks the pick up and starts hacking at the wall. He's "about" as strong as the other men, which is already impressive, as they dwarf him in size, stature, muscle mass, and experience.

As the hours pass by and he pulls a dozen or so stones from the wall, a bell rings and everyone stops mining. They turn inward towards a wooden platform supported by a large stalagmite, built around it is a kind of worker's bar and diner. It's rather simple, and the air in here is somewhat lousy, but it's convenient, and they serve good food for energy. It's paid for by the mining committee, so everyone is treated to a meal after working.

Abel sits by himself and rubs the orange dust and sweat from his forehead as he bites into a sandwich, following it up with a cup of hot tea. To his surprise, someone comes to sit with him. It's another miner, but not quite as buff as them… but in fact, this one looks kind of familiar, albeit somewhat intimidating.

"Hey, kid." Is all he says, simply, sitting across from him on the same table. Abel merely nods. "Hey." He says back, taking another bite. A few minutes of silent eating goes by before Abel finally asks.

"You look kind of familiar. Do I know you from somewhere?"  
"Yeah. On the boat. I'm one of the prisoners that got loose. You probably recognize me from the time I fought back one of those monsters and saved some of your orphan buddies." The man says matter-of-factly. In fact, as Abel squints, he does seem to fit the image of the man from that ship. He smiles.

"Ah, that was you! I never got a chance to thank you." He says, simply.  
"No need to thank me. The New Etrian council already gave me a full pardon, now I'm working as a Calcium Miner under light watch by the overseer." He says, eating some simple rice. Abel gets a better look at this man, to burn him into his mind.

He has black hair and squinty eyes. A few scars across his face, not the least of which cuts right through one of his eyes, though his pupil is not milky, and Abel assumes he can still see out of it. He has muscles, but they're lean. He's definitely a man that Abel, despite being thankful for, has realistic reservations about.

Water drops from the stalactites above to pools below as this complex is suspended in mid-air by mining supports, the surrounding pitter patter of the falling liquid makes this place calming. There are a few holes dug out in the ceiling and the large entrance to the mines causes a somewhat cooling airflow, so there's SOME fresh air in here, even if it's still laden with dust.

As everyone relaxes the tense muscles of mining away with a brief respite, something unsettling occurs. Abel's ears perk up and he looks around, beckoning a response from the man in front of him.

* * *

"Is something wrong?" He asks.

"Can you not hear that?" Abel asks.  
"Hear what?" He responds, before pausing, the light chattering of bats filling the cave.  
"Wait… I can hear it now. How did you-" He says as the Calcium Mines explode with an influx of giant blue bats! Miners cover their heads and run away as they swoop down to tackle and bite them!

"M-Monsters?! Here?!" They yell out in fear, attempting to run away as the ground rumbles, a dozen or so overgrown moles position themselves at the entrance to the cave, barring exit for the men! Abel and the criminal grab nearby makeshift weapons! Abel grabs a pickaxe, but the other man grabs two steak-knives instead! Abel runs towards the bats as the man runs towards the moles!

Abel yells out in a battle cry as his axe makes contact with a bat, instantly ending its life, but alerting its nearby allies to focus their attention on Abel instead! They swoop in and crash into him, causing him to slide across the floor, but he rises to his feet with blood dripping from his nose and charges back in!

The criminal with two knives gets in between the unarmed miners and giant moles and with a few strikes of extreme finesse, manages to slit one of their throats as it writhes on the floor! That leaves two moles to deal with in even combat! They hiss and jump at him, but he runs one of the knives over a small tincture in his pocket, cutting it open and coating the knife in a green liquid as he throws it at the Mole's eye! It howls in pain and falls to the ground as he engages the last one in singular combat!

Abel continues to attack the bats, retaliating against their attempts to get close with swift blasts with his pickaxe knocking one after another out of the fight!

The two fighters have held off long enough for soldiers to enter the mine, armed to the teeth, shooting crossbows at the remaining bats and killing the last mole! For now at least, it appears that peace has returned.

* * *

The work day has been canceled, and medical attention is being given to the miners. For now, it seems that guards will be posted in the mines. Apparently, monsters have overtaken the lower levels. This mine is huge, with 5 major floors before it reaches the bottom of what it's reached so far. Guards state, with ghoulish details, that even as far as floor BF2 of this mine, the monsters are much more violent and damning than simple bats or moles. They've had to build entire fortifications just to hold off this fraction of the Calcium Mines.

Before long, the guildmaster shows up, with his helmet on. Seeing the corpses of monsters strewn about makes him sigh. He walks further in to talk to some of the officials before he catches sight of Abel.

"Abel? What are you doing here?" He asks, walking up to him. The former criminal next to him seems surprised that the mayor of this town seems to know him on a first name basis.

"I got a job working the mines…" He admits.  
"Oh? But what about the job I gave you?"  
"I've been meaning to tell you, but my sister, Karina that is, doesn't want me going anywhere near the… ah… well, you know."  
"Hmm. Karina is clever. She recognizes that a need for guilds and explorers denotes the existence of an Yggdrasil labyrinth." He says, crossing his arms, his voice resonating through his helmet.

"So there is one…" He says, sadly.  
"Yes, in fact, it's within this very mine." The guildmaster confirms. Abel's eyes go wide.  
"Wait, you knew this place was dangerous, and you never told anyone?!  
"Calm down. Until this exact moment, the way into the labyrinth was closed… some idiot must have opened it and left it open. I think now, more than ever, we need explorers down there. If for nothing else, then for clearing this place out to make it safe for the miners to keep working." He says, snapping his fingers to some of the guards behind him as they start walking away.

"Abel, I'm hoping you will see the light soon enough. Swing by my office later to officially create your guild." He says, his black armor clanging as he walks out of view. Abel sighs, but catches the attention of the man next to him.

"I had no idea you had connections to Eli."  
"Eli?"  
"The guildmaster and mayor, that's his name. Speaking of names, I never told you mine. It's Kai." The criminal, now introducing himself as Kai, explains. He extends his hand to Abel, who takes it and shakes it.

"I'm sure you already know, but I'm Abel. So… what's so special about my connection to Eli?"  
"Other than the fact that he's offering you a position as guild leader?" Kai laughs. Then he calms down a bit and continues:  
"I'll be frank. I've been in a labyrinth before, back in Tharsis, far to the south of Etria. It bored me, because people have already cleared everything out, there was nothing to hone my skills on. My identity as a Nightseeker was one of boredom."

"Wait… are you saying you want to join my guild?"  
"Do you have any other takers?" Kai asks, beckoning a short chuckle from Abel.  
"First I gotta make sure if I can. Karina… Karina is gonna be pissed."


	5. Guild Roots

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Five  
Guild Roots

After being paid 10 Ental for mining and piled a bit on with something extra for killing a few bats, Abel returns to town and reports immediately to the Explorer's Guild. To his surprise, it's positively packed! He takes a nervous gulp and waits as the men and women around him finish their business with Eli, the guildmaster.

After about an hour of processing, Abel is finally at the front. Eli looks over and nods. He takes his helmet off and puts it on the desk.

"So you've come. Have you decided?"  
"Yes, sir. I have. I will explore the Yggdrasil Labyrinth beneath New Etria, if for nothing else than to ensure that monsters will not harm us." Abel says with a pumped chest full of confidence. Eli smiles, his scarred face showing gentleness.

"And Karina?"  
"Well… I know she won't like it, but I have to do this." He says simply. From behind him however, a voice lets out.

"Is that how it is, Abel?" A female voice says. Abel looks back, expecting to be reprimanded by Karina, only to see her, surprisingly, donned in a suit of thick armor! A breastplate fashioned in a triangle shape to deter blades and claws, while her legs are left free with a plated skirt. On her back is a large shield that's embedded with studs, covering what appears to be a lance of some kind, balanced for use in one hand.

"K-Karina…?! What are you wearing?"  
"Well I figured you were probably gonna be stupid and accept this guild job, so instead of finding a job myself, I used my 250 En to buy myself a suit of armor, and some provisions. Which, by the way; here." She says, giving Abel a small bag. Inside of it are a few vials of medicine. Abel takes it and smiles.

"So… you want to join me?" Abel asks.  
"I do." Karina says, cutting in line to the front and talking to Eli. Eli chuckles and takes his feather pen out.  
"Then for the record, state your professional class as an explorer."  
"I'm a Hoplite, a royal defender, normally seen in the island nations around Armoroad."  
"I see. Then it's official. There are no official tests for guilds to take to explore the labyrinth here, at least, not yet. Though, to access the labyrinth easily, a small task is required." Eli explains, standing up and pointing at a sheepskin map on the desk.

"The Calcium Mines are overrun with monsters now, being a 5-floor cavern, this area is like a miniature labyrinth in and of itself now. The second floor and below are overrun with monsters that are far too dangerous for even veteran explorers to tackle right now, but luckily, there is a way around them." Eli points his iron finger to a spot on the northern side of the map.

"Here, near the lip of the mines, is a device from… ancient times. It will allow us to travel down to B6F. That, in fact, is where we first discovered the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. Someone must have left it unlocked, which is how the bats got through. The moles simply dug their way up, hearing the commotion. The device is locked now, as it should have been before, but there is a key… but more specifically, a key generating device; here." He says, moving his finger to the eastern portion of the map.

"There is a station that, once you give it your fingerprints, will give each of you a personalized card. That card is what you need to unlock the device and proceed into B6F."

"What's it like down there?" Abel asks.  
"B6F is a beautiful forest, but don't let its looks fool you, like all Yggdrasil Labyrinths, every scene of beauty is hiding a trove of extreme danger. After only exploring it for a few minutes, I realized what we had on our hands, so I sealed the Labyrinth for weeks… but who left it open? I never gave anyone the authority to go that far into the Calcium mines." Eli muses to himself. But he shakes his head.

"Regardless, you have your first order. Head to the eastern portion of Calcium Mines B1F and access the machine there and return to me when you have a card for every guild member. Also… I recommend going into the labyrinth with no less, and no more, than five members."

"Five? Why? Why not send like twenty?" Abel asks.  
"A good question, and the answer is the exact reason those moles attacked the mine."  
"I'm… afraid I don't follow." Abel responds.  
"Noise, and conspicuousness. Remember, you're heading into a world that has evolved without human interference for generations, they know that place better than we ever will, and the element of surprise is everything. Limiting yourself to a group of 5 minimizes noise and your visual profile. Yggdrasil can also get extremely cramped at times, and in a combat formation, any more than three people in a straight line can cause a problem, meaning you will want to maintain two lines, one of three, and one of two."

Eli explains the intricacies of labyrinth exploration, which beckons a response from the man behind both Abel and Karina. The Nightseeker known as Kai.

"It sounds like you've been an explorer yourself… you seem to know how these things work out." He states. Eli relents for a moment, his blonde hair disappearing as he puts his helmet back on.

"It's true, I've explored various Labyrinths. I'll admit, I've been in a great many of them. From Etria to Tharsis, Armoroad to High Lagaard… I've stepped foot in each of them at least once, and heard stories from all of the cityfolk talking about great heroes. But that's neither here nor there. You have your first assignment. As for your guild, Abel, you still need two members. I recommend getting to it." Eli states, moving them along to address the people behind them.

* * *

Abel, Kai, and Karina stand outside of the Explorer's guild and talk to each other, thinking as a group.

"Okay, so we have 3 members… and we need two more…" Abel says.  
"Mmhm. But who? How do we even know who or what to bring?" Karina follows. Before long, Kai speaks up.  
"I've done this song and dance before. From what I can tell… we have three front line classes. Me, as a Nightseeker, the girl as a Hoplite, and you as a… what were you again?"  
"A Fafnir Knight."  
"Yeah. A Fafnir. So, we need back liners. What Eli said holds up, keeping two lines is ideal, three in front and two in back is my style. Back line classes would be someone like a Survivalist, Gunner, Alchemist, Zodiac, Hexer, Farmer, things like that. Alternatively, we could use a support class, like a Medic, Sovereign, Troubadour, or Monk." Kai states, apparently knowing a lot.

"Should I… give you the reigns of Guild Leader? I will admit, I don't know what I'm doing." Abel admits, but Kai instantly responds.  
"No." He says flatly. Karina, after a few moments, merely chuckles.  
"Is that it?" She asks.  
"Yes."  
"…" The group goes silent for a bit.  
"O-kay… I guess we should get to looking. Where do we even start?"  
"The Explorer's Guild itself would be good, but for now, it's too crowded. In fact, I'm going to go for now. I'll be back here in 24 hours. My old equipment should still be in the impound. Later." He says casually, putting his hands in his pockets and leaving out of sight.

Karina and Abel sit on nearby boxes and begin to think on where to even start to look for two more members.


	6. Ashes

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Six  
Ashes

Guildmaster Eli unwinds after a long day of managing the Explorer's Guild, two people enter his office.

"We're closed- oh." He says, looking at the two individuals who came in.  
"What brings the illustrious Simon Yorke to New Etria?" Eli asks. The man known as Simon, very tall, over six feet with fair white skin and short silver hair looks around. He wears glasses and is wearing a long white coat with dark blue pants.

"New Etria, that's what you've decided this place should be called, huh?" Simon lets out, still taking a good look around, walking into Eli's office as the sun goes down.

"Indeed. I got funding and workers from both Etria and High Lagaard to build this place, I chose the name New Etria out of respect for my homeland."

"It's funny you mentioned homelands, that's actually what I'm here to discuss." Simon lets out. The other person next to him is a similarly tall, stalwart and stoic knight, wearing dark purple armor with the occasional red accent. They too walk forward next to Simon.

"Is there something wrong, gentleman?" Eli asks out. The knight takes off their helmet to show themselves as a beautiful, but incredibly powerful and large blonde woman with a defining scar along their chin. Eli corrects himself.

"I apologize, is there something wrong, visitors?" He asks, the woman speaks up.  
"My name is Marion, and like Simon, we've both come here to do research on the past. The recent past, the last 25 or so years."  
"25 years? Well, New Etria has only been founded only a few months ago. In fact, we're not even done building all the common areas." Eli laughs, but Simon sighs.

"Yet you're already under assault by monsters within an Yggdrasil Labyrinth…"  
"Yes…? And why, might I ask, does Midgard Library have an interest in New Etria? If you wish to explore another Labyrinth, you'll have to sign up like everyone else." Eli says, jokingly. Simon smiles and takes a seat. Marion does the same.

"Cute. But seriously… you're a worldly man, Eli. You've visited how many Yggdrasil Labyrinths? Three? four?"  
"Five counting the new one here." Eli confirms. Simon sighs and leans forward.  
"What if I told you this Labyrinth isn't new, and in fact… your "New Etria" is built on the ashes of an old city called Gotham?" He asks, a tense expression filtering through the sunset reflected in his glasses.

* * *

Abel and Karina yawn as the sun disappears completely.

"I'm bushed, let's call it a night." Karina says, unclasping her heavy hoplite armor and picking it up for later storage.  
"Yeah I guess. I just wish we could have found two members for our guild…" Abel says with fuzzy, sleepy eyes. He too takes off his leather armor and joins his sister in the orphanage. To their collective surprise, it appears to be empty.

"Huh? Where is everyone?" They ask each other before hearing something out back. They leave out of the back door of the large building to see everyone talking. It's dark with the sun down, but torches are lit to give this place adequate light as they all look nervous and anxious.

"Has anyone found her yet?" The caretaker of the orphanage asks a New Etria guard. Unfortunately, he shakes his head.

"I'm… sorry, ma'am, but if she sent into the calcium mines that deep, there's nothing we can do. We don't have the forces to guard the city and the mines at the same time."

"Oh my god…" The matron covers her mouth and falls to her knees.

"What the…?! What's going on?!" Abel asks, catching everyone's attention as one of the boys runs up and holds his hand.  
"It's Mary! She ran away from home! She went into the mines, and no one is going to save her!"  
"…!" Abel's eyes go wide. He never knew her on a personal level, but he knows Mary from the High Lagaard orphanage. Quiet, introverted, and her birthday is tomorrow… she'll be 10 years old. She's sickly and pale, if even a single monster catches scent of her, she's… she's…

Abel shakes his head and puts his armor back on.  
"Abel, I'm going with you." Karina says without another word. Abel nods at her with an extremely serious look on his face.  
"We need to get Kai. I know time is of the essence but having three people in the labyrinth is much better than two." – "Agreed" They discuss among each other. They run to the street to be greeted with him already present.

"Kai, why are-"  
"Does it matter? I heard what must be done. Let's go." He says. Kai looks different in his actual armor. He's wearing skin-tight leather gear that blends in perfectly with the darkness of night, and he has actual weapons other than kitchen knives. He wields two highly sharpened daggers, and along his leather armor are small tinctures and vials of herbs and poisons. His black hair is tied into the fashion of a ponytail. They both nod and follow him, all running towards the Calcium Mines!

* * *

 **STRATUM 0  
THE CALCIUM MINES**

* * *

 **B1F  
The First Grit-Sounding Step**

The three explorers run into the mines, the moon doing well to shine some light into this cavern. To their horror, the gate that leads deeper into the monster infested mine is already open, and they can hear monsters inside…! Karina rushes in first, shield brandished as they quickly but cautiously make progress deep inside.

Inside they make contact with a monster! It's a simple mole, but worthy of pause as the three adventurers get ready to combat the labyrinth as it was meant to be! The mole charges at Abel, who is rather vulnerable outside of his limited Fafnir transformation, however Karina gets in the way and breaks the Mole's claws with a slap of her shield! As it tumbles back, Kai buries his knives in its chest and it falls to the ground, defeated. Everyone nods and continues onwards as they begin to hear the crying of monsters and what sounds like a fight!

"MARY!" Abel yells out! It echoes, but gets no response as they push farther in to see a pale skinned girl surrounded by moles and bats! They are horrified and try to rush inside, but to their surprise, the animals are completely still. They move to strike them, but before their eyes, they slash at their own throats and fall to the ground; dead.

Abel and Karina blink away their astonishment, but Kai only smiles and walks forward.

"You're a Hexer." He says simply. The girl looks up. Her skin is so pale it's transcended being called white and is instead almost grayish. She wears the brown tatters of the orphanage but carries a small golden bell. Her hair is long, brown and covers most of her back.

"Yes… I am." Mary responds in a calm, collected voice. Mary is very young, almost ten years old, but with powers capable of causing monsters to commit suicide, and armed with the confidence to tackle the Labyrinth on her own, she is far more daunting than Abel once thought. He sheathes his weapon and walks over to her.

"We were worried about you." Abel says, sighing in relief.  
"I can take care of myself."  
"I'm sure you can, but what are you doing here, anyway?" Abel asks. Mary diverts her eyes further into the Calcium Mines. It's hard to see since it's so dark.

"I was going to challenge the labyrinth. Being so young, no guild would take me, especially without any money to purchase adequate gear. I was hoping that taking monster remains would be enough to pay for stuff." She says, before horrifyingly ripping the hands off of the dead moles.

"M-Mary, what are you doing?!" Karina asks, before Kai speaks up.  
"What she's doing is what all explorers do. The Labyrinth is savage, but the creatures are borne of something different. Their body parts are often worth a lot, sometimes as trophies, but mostly as supplies for artisans to create equipment with. For instance…" He says, taking his knives out. They look at it to realize it's not made of metal, but instead something white.

"These knives are made from Ragelope Antlers. Very durable, very sharp… and very expensive." He says, sheathing them again. They look over to Mary as she stuffs the monster remains into a small bag. It's leatherbound and strong, even the blood does not leak.

"I think this is a good haul for one day." Mary says before casually walking away. Abel shakes his head and runs over to her real quick.

"Mary. I don't know why you want to explore the labyrinth, but what you did back there was incredible. We're… sort of looking for two members. Want to join?" Mary's eyes light up, but her face remains calm and collected.

"S-Sure…" Is all she softly says, the beginnings of a smile breaking through her pale face.


	7. Doubt

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Seven  
Doubt

The three adventurers follow Mary on her way to a trading post. In this bustling portion of town, people coming and going from all corners. Given the relative youth of this city, the adventurers, especially Kai, seem surprised that it's so alive.

"I wonder what's driving so many people to New Etria…" Kai asks himself as they follow Mary into the nearby trading post. As soon as they open a door, a loud smashing sound can be heard coming from behind the counter, followed briefly by the sound of many metal pots and pans falling.

After a short moment, a feminine groaning can be heard under the mountain of skillets and pots. Abel looks over the counter and lends a hand, helping the young woman to her feet. She takes a deep breath and looks back.

Riddled with bandages and bruises, with frazzled hair and sleepy eyes, the shopkeeper smiles and bows.  
"Th-Thanks for the help back there… all of my merchandise fell on me…" She admits. She's about as tall as Abel, which is to say she's kinda short. She has a soft expression, but one of quiet anguish and an apparent lack of sleep, but she nonetheless speaks in sarcastic tones, constantly giggling to herself, lost in her own thoughts.

"That's quite all right. Are you in a good position to accept some monster parts from my friend Mary?" Abel asks. Mary is even shorter than them, only her head poking over the counter as she throws the mole claws onto it. The shopkeeper's eyes go wide, all exhaustion burning away.

"Woah…! These are monster parts! Wait… these are FRESH monster parts! Where did you get these?!"  
"The Labyrinth." Mary says simply. The shopkeeper takes a gulp before what looks like money symbols light up in her eyes. She starts violently shaking Abel's hand with a fake smile on her face.

"I NEVER PROPERLY INTRODUCED MYSELF MY NAME IS TIN-TIN!" The shopkeeper babbles as Abel pulls away with a laugh.

"Tin-Tin?"  
"Yup! It's my nick name, Tiny-Tina, but everyone calls me Tin-Tin!" She introduces herself. She has red hair, though being so frazzled it constantly pokes up and always looks kind of unkempt. Though her name being Tiny makes Abel wondering if he should start worrying about how short he is…

Tin-Tin takes time to examine the monster claws before pulling out a small bag of money and giving it to Mary. Inside is 30 Ental, not a bad haul. Karina looks at the money inside and raises an eyebrow.

"Exploring the Labyrinth could be lucrative, Abel." She suggests. Abel looks back with a mock smile.  
"Do you only think of money?" He grins.  
"Wh-What? No, it's just that money will help us be comfortable and stuff… I mean, if all it takes is to kill a few moles to be set in the inn for a few days, I don't see the problem." As Karina speaks, Mary has already spent her Ental purchasing what looks like a long purple flowing cloak. She slips it on over her brown dress and it fits like a glove, though it seems a bit snug around the shoulders. The bell is attached to a chain on the outside of the cloak and doesn't ring on its own, even when she walks. The shopkeeper's eyes light up.

"Ah, you're a Hexer! Be sure to keep me in mind as your number one stop for selling monster parts! Remember; Tin-Tin's Forge and Bazaar!" She advertises herself as they leave the shop. Mary seems somewhat satisfied with how everything ended up.

"Well, we have four members now." Kai speaks up, chewing on a toothpick in his mouth.  
"Still need a fifth…" Karina says as they begin to walk back towards the Orphanage, however, Kai stops them.

"We're a guild now…" He says, looking back at Abel, Karina, and Mary.  
"So…?" Abel asks.  
"So, that means we can't all just sleep in an orphanage. You're not orphans anymore. You're individuals, in control of your own lives. Look, just this once, I'll pay our tab at the inn." He says, pulling out a sack with twenty Ental in it.

"This is enough to cover lodging, food, and various other expenses for a whole night. Let's treat ourselves." He says. They walk into the Inn to see the innkeeper, a large man with strong, striking eyes and bulging muscles, nonetheless wearing an apron and oven mitts. He appears to be talking to a man with white hair and glasses. That man looks back at the adventurers and nearly pays them no mind, before catching sight of something.

"…" However he plays it cool, and merely keeps it in mind.  
"Thank you, Chauncy. I think I'll stay the night. I'll be leaving for Etria tomorrow. I've told Eli I needed to." He says, before disappearing into the crowd inside of the Inn's main gathering room. The incredibly buff and intimidating Innkeeper, "Chauncy", moves behind the desk. He sits down on a tiny wooden chair, nearly sitting on the floor, and his biceps are still above the counter, on eye-level with Abel, who breaks into a cold sweat.

"Are you staying the night?" He asks in a deep voice.  
"Y-Yes. We have… twenty Ental… is this enough?" He asks, timidly giving the bag of money over. Chauncy looks down, his eyes so sunken into his large head that all that can be seen are dark voids, which is made surreal by the fact that he's wearing an apron, mittens, and a chef's hat. He takes the money and gives them a room key.

"Upstairs, last on the left." He says, before standing back up to mingle with the other guests. Abel lets out a sigh of relief as they all unequip their armor, save Mary, who tip toes around the crowd of people, listening to them as they talk, her purple garb fading into nearby shadows.

Karina asks Chauncy about a bath, turning out that the basement has several steam rooms, one of which is heated with fire-cooked stones into a public bath. She heads down to clean off as Kai heads to the dining room of the Inn to begin eating, leaving Abel alone.

He shrugs and heads up to the room. It's surprisingly peaceful in here, despite the commotion in the common room. He plops on the fluffy bed, unequipped of everything except his metal sleeve, hiding his Fafnir arm underneath. He hears a knock at the door.

"Come in." He says instinctively, expecting it to be one of his teammates, but instead it's that white haired man from earlier.

"Oh uh… hello. Can I help you?" Abel asks, sitting up.  
"Mmm. Maybe you can, but first I'd like to introduce myself. My name is Simon." The man lets out. His face is one that is starting to show its age, but he's nowhere near old enough to have white hair, so it must be natural coloration. Simon is rather tall, even for an adult, easily a foot and then some over Abel. He is wearing a white cloak, but there are conspicuous pins and medals along it that denote a professional character. Simon pulls up a chair and sits in it composedly as he speaks to Abel further.

"That metal sleeve. I've seen it before." He says bluntly. Abel furrows his brow.  
"I'm sure you've seen lots of armor in your days."  
"I mean specifically, I know the kind you're wearing. You took your armor off, but you leave this on, and it's only covering one arm, not both. You're hiding something. I knew Eli wasn't telling me something. I'll get right to the point and avoid stringing you along; you're a Fafnir, aren't you?" Simon accuses. Abel merely sighs and removes the metal sleeve, showing his arm, now fully transformed, dark and monstrous looking. Sleek and sharp, his fingers are inhuman and spikey, denoting a savage nature.

"I see. I haven't seen a Fafnir since the last one, nearly ten years ago. His strength was impressive, that and his comrades taking down the Tindalos. You however, at least compared to him, lack even a fraction of his power."

"Yeah? So what?" Abel growls, putting his armor back on. Simon closes his eyes and raises his hand, attempting to calm him down.  
"I meant no offense, but Eli didn't alert me to the seriousness of this situation. There is an Yggdrasil still underneath Etria… which means that this city is in extreme danger, unless we can end that danger." Simon says, standing up.

"Huh?"  
"I heard you were looking for a fifth member. It's been years since my exploration, but you'll find my experiences invaluable, if you'll have me." Simon extends his hand to Abel.

Surprisingly, Abel doesn't take it right away, and instead he thinks. He doesn't really like this Simon guy, and the concept of everyone saying he's important is starting to get to him. He brushes Simon's hand away to his surprise.

"Get out." Is all Abel says. Simon looks at a loss for words. Eventually, he bows briefly and walks out. Abel falls back into the bed and looks up at the ceiling.


	8. Ouroboros

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Eight  
Ouroboros

Abel sulks in his room. Why is he important? His mom is dead, his dad is dead, and sure, exploring the labyrinth sounds fun, but being so important with no life preparation? It makes able want to run away. Simon… he knows Simon is probably a good guy, a guy who's been around the block a dozen or so times, and those medals pinned to his cloak, he's seen his share of glory, despite being what appears to be a bookworm. If Simon, above anyone else, says that he's important as a Fafnir, then it's probably true, since Simon has had first-hand experience with them.

But… what does being a Fafnir even mean? Eli mentioned something about Caledonia. Abel's only heard stories in the orphanage, stories of kings and queens, princes and princesses performing an ancient ritual. The legend of the Fafnir was almost lost to common knowledge, except that 10 years ago, one suddenly appeared and gained worldwide recognition.

Abel takes his glove off and looks at his clawed hand.

"What is this power…? I look like a monster… and… and who cares if I'm important?!" He says, balling it into a powerful fist!  
"I just want to live my life! I want to be comfortable and safe with Karina! We're all we got, and if we're important, we'll be in danger! AGH! I'm starting to sound like her, what's wrong with me?!" He starts manically pulling at his own short black hair before the door opens suddenly. He looks over and covers his arm as they walk in. It's the short girl, the newest member of the guild Mary.

"Hey. Abel. Do you have a minute to talk?" She asks. He blinks his eyes and nods.  
"Sure…" He responds. She smiles and closes the door. She walks in, her body obscured by the purple cloak, but her hood is down and her brown hair spills over her back and shoulders. She sits next to him, her arms inside of the sleeveless coat.

"I wanted to thank you for coming to save me in the mines." She says. Abel cocks his head and laughs.  
"You seemed to have everything under control." He says with a smile. She looks over and grins.  
"Yeah, but you came anyway. No one else came. That at least proves that you're brave." She says.  
"Brave, huh?" Abel asks himself.  
"Mmhm." She mutters, reconfirming her words.

For a while they sit around in not-awkward silence, since they're kind of tired and the bed is comfy. Mary lies on her back, but her eyes are still open as she continues to talk.

"There aren't any Hexers in New Etria. At least… not yet. I'm the first one." She tells him.  
"Oh. I'm… sorry to hear that."  
"Nah, it's not a big deal, though my becoming one was a tad unorthodox. Sure, Hexers start out young… but normally, not as young as me. You'll also notice my lack of arm and leg chains." She says, playfully kicking her legs as they dangle off the bed.

"Oh, come to think of it, you're right. Is there something you want to tell me?" He asks. She looks over with a neutral expression.

"Maybe. But first, is there something you want to tell ME?" She emphasizes, looking at his gauntleted arm. He sighs and takes it off, showing the transformed skin underneath. She leans up to get a better look at it. She rings her bell, but nothing happens.

"Hmm… it's not a curse, at least. In fact, it makes the sound of my bell quieter…"  
"What does that mean?" Abel asks, now curious.  
"If I had to guess, it's not a bad thing… your arm I mean. It's probably a good thing. The curses don't really work on good people." She states, tapping it again and again. Abel flexes his Fafnir arm. She pokes her arm out from under her dress and touches it. It's rigid and hard.

"Do you know what it's called?" She asks.  
"Some people have called it a Fafnir transformation. I don't know what it means though, it scares me."  
"Scares you? But I've seen you use it, and heard you use it. Against the giant kraken. It makes you strong. You shouldn't be scared of it." She encourages him. He looks back with a shocked expression on his face.

"… Well, it's time to eat. Wanna join me?" She asks, hopping off the bed, being the only person in the party shorter than he is.  
"You go ahead, I'll catch up."  
"Kay. And Abel?" She turns around before leaving the room.  
"Yeah?"  
"Your arm. My bell. We're not so different. Don't be afraid of who you are." She says cryptically before leaving.

* * *

Simon and the female knight Marion stand at the docks. It's dark, and the boat is small, but sailing at night is preferable to day, as sailing by the stars allows for a more precise direction in the open ocean.

"You're heading back to Midgard, then?" Marion asks, her voice echoing through her metal helmet. Simon only smirks and shrugs.

"I came to pass on the message about Gotham to Eli, and the Fafnir here doesn't want my help. I'm heading back, my job here is done. He gets in the boat with another man who mans the sails and wayfares by the light of the stars.

"Well, what about you, Marion? Are you going to go west beyond New Etria and try to find the land of your birth?" He asks, looking up at her from the boat. She nods seriously. She takes out a brooch from her possessions. It has an eagle symbol on it.

"I was raised in Gotham, much like you, earlier in life. But my place of birth was even further to the west than this. Gotham, whose symbol is the Eagle… took me in, though my father was a solider from that foreign land. I will find that land. It's the last truly great thing I wish to accomplish with my life." She says, putting the brooch back in her bag. Simon smiles and nods.

"Once I'm back at Midgard, I'll pull some strings to get researchers and resources here to New Etria. You have my word."

"Thank you." She says, genuinely. The wayfarer in the boat raises anchor before something catches Marion and Simon's attention. At the end of the dock is a familiar boy.

"Is that… Abel? Wait, weigh anchor again." Simon asks as he jumps back onto the dock.  
"Abel?" He asks, walking over to him as Abel also walks over.

"…" He at first says nothing, looking up at Simon. Then he closes his eyes and speaks.  
"I did some thinking, with the help of a friend of mine… my denying your request was out of my own insecurities and fear. If anyone knows anything about the Fafnir Transformations… it will be you… besides, we DO need a fifth member." Abel states. Marion looks over at Simon who scratches the back of his head.

"You couldn't have gotten here a little earlier? I already made an emphatic good-bye speech." He blushes and Marion pats him on the back hard enough to make him stagger.  
"It was a good speech, but it's best that you stay here. I'll get a courier ready tomorrow so you can send word to Midgard." Marion says, walking past them as they talk on the moonlit dock, the crackle of nearby torches heard.

"No one knows what lies within this Labyrinth. I've heard some people mention a forest of monsters, trees made of glass, even a city of the dead…" Abel claims. Simon diverts his eyes, catching Abel's attention.

"Wait, is it true?"  
"It might be. Before New Etria was built, a city was here less than twenty-five years ago. It was called Gotham, before one day it was destroyed by an unknown power. Though, as I went on adventures with my old friends, like Raquna, Ricky, Arthur, and yes… about ten years ago, I had personally been acquainted with a Fafnir… along my various adventures, I delved into a Labyrinth, and an installation known as Gladsheim, there I learned of a weapon… I believe that weapon is what wiped out Gotham…"

"A… A weapon that can destroy a whole city? No way! Not even a monster can do that!"  
"Maybe not, but this wasn't a monster. Perhaps later I'll tell you the whole story. But for now, what should our guild be called.

"… Uh…" Abel stammers. "I have to name it…?"  
"Haha, yes. But it's not that important. Though, if you wouldn't mind a suggestion?" Simon asks.  
"Yeah?"  
"Have you heard of an ancient snake that devours its tail for all eternity, symbolizing an unending cycle of life and death?"  
"I… can't say that I have."  
"Well it's just a personal suggestion, one I thought up since there is apparently still a labyrinth underneath the ruins of my old home town, much like the ancient snake of old, always a labyrinth to explore, always a mystery to uncover… why not name your guild-

Ouroboros?"


	9. The First Campaign

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Nine  
The First Campaign

Abel, Mary, Karina, Kai, and now even Simon now show up at the Explorer's Guild. Inside, the mayor and guild master Eli nods and officially stamps a document.

"Consider this your first real assignment. There is a card dispenser at the end of the first floor of the Calcium Mines. It's overrun with monsters, as you well know by now. Get to the card dispenser and return to New Etria and, along with a small reward, I will name you official explorers. Now, what did you want to name your guild?" Eli asks. Simon and Abel look at each other and Abel nods.

"Ouroboros." He says simply. Eli writes the name down on an official document and puts it in his desk before nodding.  
"Very well. Guild Ouroboros, I wish you the best of luck."

* * *

 **STRATUM 0  
THE CALCIUM MINES**

* * *

 **B1F  
The First Grit-Sounding Step**

Guild Ouroboros steps into the Calcium Mines. The very entrance is safe of monster presence as guards and locked doors stand sentinel over the southern quadrant. On the sheepskin map that Eli provided earlier, some of the Calcium Mines are already mapped out. Stretching several hours to the west and east through winding tunnels, they make way for the north, beyond the safe zone.

Karina takes point, making front progress for the group as they progress in an arrow shape, mapping out the now destroyed and disheveled mine. As they turn a corner, Karina pushes her group back and dives to them as a huge tunneling worm bursts from around the turn!

"WOAH!" Abel cries as they all hit the ground. The worm looks over at them, but ultimately pays them no mind as it continues down the mineshaft in a linear fashion.

"What in the hell was that…?!" Karina grunts, regaining her composure. Kai steps forward.  
"That was an F.O.E. A field on enemy, or Formido Oppugnatura Exsequens. It's a monster, except they behave differently than most. Not reacting solely out of instinct or hunger, they usually follow a pattern… and are usually big and dangerous enough to warrant thought when traversing Yggdrasil." Kai states. Simon nods.

"Indeed. I've seen my share of FOEs in my day. Some aggressive, some passive, all massively powerful. Though on the first floor of a mine that wasn't even a part of the labyrinth a few days ago? This is a new one…" Simon muses, his eyes hidden behind his glasses and long white hair.

They all take note of the rumbling wormy menace and keep track of its movements, noticing that is cutting a flat, easy to walk path through the mine, almost like a natural road. They follow along it to notice that several passages not on the mine's map have opened. Perhaps natural deposits filled with water and calcium that were disturbed by the large FOE's movements. As they step into uncharted territory, Simon looks over to Abel.

"Do you know how to draw a map?" He asks simply. Abel looks down with his expression turning sour.  
"I'm… not very good at drawing." He admits. Mary takes that moment to steal the sheepskin map and pulls out an array of pastels and pithing needles.  
"Then leave it to me!" She says, starting to work on noting their surroundings bit by bit as they make safe progress through the first floor of the mines.

As the hours pass, they become more comfortable moving as a group, and monster blood sprays across Karina's shield as they rend weaker monsters in twain. The normal bats and moles, but occasionally small worms and giant flies get in their way. All in all, they reach the topmost sector of the Calcium mines. Looking back down at the map, this should be the end, at least northward, leaving only the eastern half of the mine to explore, as the center is a large gulch that USED to house the lounge and eating areas, yet that has now been destroyed and has fallen into B2F, swarming with even scarier looking monsters.

In their pack they have mole claws, butterfly wings, and worm mucus, but not from the big ones, not at all. Those are far too intimidating, the small worms don't drop any sort of valuable commodity, but the mucus seems stable and viscus enough for some kind of use, so they ooze it into small containers and stow it in their bags.

Before long, the light of the sun begins to fade from the holes in the ceiling of the mine, night is falling soon. Abel yawns as they come to a small clearing in the Calcium Mines that seems devoid of monster presence. Kai nods and pulls out what looks like an assembly of wood and leather.

"Let's make a campfire and rest here for a few hours." He suggests, quickly propping up a few tents. The annoying drips from the cavern slide down the tent walls and the ground is somewhat dry with the bottom tarps placed. They take his suggestion and begin to rest in shifts. Before long, the night is upon them and they see solely from the sheen of moonlight. As the rest of them continue to relax, Kai and Simon stand up and order a break of camp.

"H-Huh…? But it's… night." Abel groans, rubbing his eyes.  
"We don't sleep fully in the Labyrinth. We cannot grow complacent, nor do we want stalker monsters to catch our scent." Kai explains. Simon nods, but puts a finger to his chin.

"You seem quite knowledgeable, Kai. How much experience exploring did you have?" Simon asks.  
"Back in Tharsis? I explored four of the dungeons discovered by explorers before me. Many recall the thrill of exploration, but to me, the point is to get there first… so I left Tharsis, traveled the world before eventually finding myself in Lagaard. I hitched a boat to New Etria afterwards."

"Hitched a boat, huh?" Karina chortles. Kai looks back with an unamused stare. Simon shrugs.  
"Very well, let's continue. We're maybe a few hours from the strange device that Eli mentioned." Simon says. Everyone nods and they continue eastward, mapping out the orange and black colored walls, making gradual progress as they carefully exterminate the smaller monsters with finesse. A few giant borer worm FOEs continue to spiral around, making exploration difficult, diverting them by hours at a time as they wait for a safe time to pass. Before long however, they realize they cannot progress.

"Are you sure there's no other paths, Mary?" Abel asks. She checks the map up and down.  
"Yes… we've gone everywhere on this floor. There's no device or anything." She confirms.  
"May I see that?" Simon asks. Mary nods and gives it to him. He nods to himself.  
"I see, I have a theory. Check along the eastern wall of the cavern here." He suggests. They look at each other and shrug. They feel around the nearby walls before Karina calls out to them.

"Hey, over here! There's a crack in the wall! It seems just big enough for someone to squeeze through." They all follow her in a linear fashion, grunting as they squeeze through the gash in the wall, except Mary who gingerly walks through it instead on account of her short stature. On the other side is a large room with two things of note. A strange looking mechanical device, and what looks like a metal tower.

"This must be it!" Abel says excitedly. He runs over to the device and starts to push buttons. Some symbols pop up, a language similar to the one they write with, but noticeably different. Putting together some half baked assumptions, they follow simple directions before 5 cards get printed out. It's made out of a strange substance, durable, yet flexible.

"It's plastic." Simon says before elaborating further;  
"It's a kind of substance that predates even ancient Lagaardian Texts. We haven't recreated it in Midgard, but we are aware of it." He says. They all nod and pocket the five cards, finishing their first task as explorers. They squeeze back through the cracks in the wall, now knowing to keep their eye open in the future for similar shortcuts. They fight a few monsters on the way back, with the sun barely starting to poke out as they finally leave the mines and get some fresh air.

Abel and Mary stretch and sigh, the small nap within the tents was not enough to slake the exhaustion. The inn is the next stop. They can sell the stuff in the morning…

They sleepily walk back to town with a small twinge of pride in their heart.


	10. The First Step Towards True Exploration

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Ten  
The First Step Towards True Exploration

Guild Ouroboros shambles over to the commercial section of New Etria. It's early, but some shops are open twenty-four hours a day. They open their way into TT Trade-House. Upon opening the door, the sound of many boxes and pots can be heard falling.

"SON OF A B- oh, hi! Customers! Oh, it's you guys again, the first in the town to ever sell me monster parts! What can I do you for?" Tin-Tin asks, seemingly ignoring the huge mess of iron and dust behind the counter. Mary takes the monster parts and splays them across the counter. Mole claws, bug wings, bat fangs, and even worm goo. Tiny Tina's eyes light up as she begins to appraise the items.

"Oooh, more claws… and what is this, some sort of excretions from monsters? It's loose, but it's sticky… I wonder, when it dries, it could serve as an adhesive… and these fangs are very durable." She remarks, banging it on the counter with a small hammer, showing how it stands up.

"Yes, this is great! I'm going to take a loan out from the central bank and get a couple thousand Ental, I have a feeling I'm gonna need to expand with you guys feeding me all these materials! No more making pots and pans for this girl! I'm a dedicated monster artisanry, just like Shilleka!" Tin-Tin blurts out, catching Simon's ear.

"Oh? You know Shilleka's goods?"  
"Know it? I'm her biggest fan! I visited Etria almost a decade ago to see her forge lined wall to wall with weapons and armor made from the most dangerous beings on the world! Items worth hundreds of thousands of En a piece! It was her inspiration that drove me to become a shopkeeper, and now that a Labyrinth has been discovered in New Etria! OMIGOSH I CANNOT EVEN HOLD BACK HOW EXCITED I AM! HERE, HERE, MONEY FOR THE STUFF!" She squeals, pushing coins over to them, not a lot of them, but colored coins, some gold and some silver, that signify large worth. After counting it out, it's 200 En. Abel and Karina begin to drool, but Mary looks over the counter.

"Do you got any new stuff?" She asks suddenly. Tin-Tin blinks once and looks around.

"Actually… I just might! I'll hire an artisan! You guys check back in a few hours, time is of the essence! I should make a bigger sign, TT Tradehouse is snappy, but it's not BIG enough!" Tiny Tina shoos them out of the store with coins in their hand and closes the door behind them as she begins to dance inside of her own store, giddy.

Kai yawns and stretches.  
"Well we got a good day's pay, and there's a lot more where that came from. We should head to the inn and sleep one off. Afterwards, I suggest we head to the Explorer's Guild." Everyone nods and retreats to the Inn.

* * *

They enter to be greeted with the unsettling size of Chauncy. He is so tall that standing behind the counter, not a single one of them can see his face without looking up. He's wearing a frilly apron that says "kiss the cook" with a smiley face button on the front. They put a coin on the desk equaling the amount they need to pay, and Chauncy gives them a room key. As before, after they get in, they all go their separate ways. Abel is pooped and heads straight to bed this time however.

He falls into the bouncy bed and closes his eyes. His mind starts to drift towards sleep before someone comes in. They ordered four rooms to sleep in, one for each of the guildmembers, except he and Karina share a room. He looks over half-asleep to see her inside. Her armor is in her hands and she's wearing her casual clothes instead.

"Hey Abel. That was an interesting first day of exploration… I've never gone camping before."  
"Heh, well, it wasn't so much camping as it was regaining our strength within a monster infested cavern." He chuckles, closing his eyes again as his aching muscles start to relax from the long night. Karina sits next to him on the bed, waking him briefly from the bounce.

"Hmm? What's up?" Abel asks. Karina looks over with a tired face.  
"Do you remember ANYTHING about your father…?" She asks.

That strange question catches him off guard. He stretches and sits up, so he doesn't doze off again when she talks.

"I thought I told you already, I only know what my mom told me when I was very young. He was a highlander from a faraway land. A shamed one that ran away from his fate and nearly doomed the entire highlander caste. It was his hand-me-downs that I trained with, and why my weapon of choice is a spear." He says, mentioning his discarded weapon on the floor, one of the harpoons from the fish monsters that attacked them when they first arrived in New Etria.

"Why do you ask?" He continues. Karina closes her eyes and lies next to him, apparently also very tired.  
"I just started thinking. I knew your mother when you were still very young, I'm like your big sister… and I wonder if your dad is still out there somewhere… you know? It would be a shame if something happened to us in the labyrinth, and we never got to meet him…" She says, drifting off to sleep. He sighs and lies next to her and closes his eyes as well.

"Dead or alive doesn't matter much… he's been outside of my life for as long as I can remember… mom died, I was in an orphanage, he never showed up… I have no father." Is all he says as they both go quiet, falling into a deep slumber.

* * *

Mary and Simon are in another room. Though they both have individual rooms, Mary has visited Simon's room. He called her in to ask her a question. He turns around and asks his question bluntly.

"How are you able to ring that bell?" He asks. She cocks her head.  
"What do you mean? Don't all hexers ring their bells?"  
"Yes, but you don't ring it like they do. They have their arms, hands, legs, and feet bound. But yours are free, their bindings are a symbol of their surrender to their faith, and that faith powers their bell. What powers yours?" He interrogates. Mary honestly has no idea, in fact she seems a little frightened by his directness, but he sighs and shakes his head.

"Sorry, I'm just… curious. I'm kind of a scholar, or scientist. Something like this is extremely interesting to me. Do you honestly not know?"  
"No, no I don't. This is just how I've always done it…" She stammers, her eyes darting around. She's hiding something, but Simon drops it.

"Alright. I'm sorry if I scared you. Have a good night, Mary."  
"Y-Yeah… good night, Simon." She says, slinking out of his room. Kai is in the dining room enjoying a cup of extremely hot and bitter tea, but his face remains stoic and unchanging. They catch sight of each other and she walks up to him.

"You're not going to sleep?" Kai asks her.  
"I don't sleep that much. I can go off of only a few hours. Our tent in the Calcium Mines was enough for me."  
"Mmm. Indeed. I don't eat much either. Do you drink tea?" He asks. She shakes her head.  
"N-No… it's too bitter."  
"I see. Well, I have juice for you if you'd prefer." He says, taking something out of his pack and draining it into a small cup. She looks over and sniffs it.

"Wait… this is… orange juice." She says, her eyes going wide. He raises an eyebrow.  
"You… know what an orange is? Only Lagaard has any mention of oranges, and they are extremely rare… and expensive."  
"Yeah… my brother used to find me some back in High Lagaard a couple of years ago, before he disappeared in the Forbidden Woods. That's why I'm an orphan now. He would always bring back oranges and yuzus. He said they were extremely dangerous to get… I didn't understand until he was gone just how dangerous it was." She sadly laments, but accepts the orange juice and drinks it.

She begins to sniffle.

"It tastes good…" The young hexer says, her brown hair spilling from out of her cowl. Kai pats her on the back as he continues to drink his scalding tea. Soon both of them will need to retire for a small spell as Abel and Karina get some rest. They are not used to adventuring like Kai and Simon are, and they are not as youthful as Mary is… so the rest of the group needs to adapt to their slower pace.

The early morning burns away into the afternoon and the next day truly begins.

* * *

Eli summons Marion to the Explorer's guild and speaks to her one on one.

"I think I found the land of your birth." Is what he says as soon as she arrives. In a suit of full armor, she appears to not react at all. Remaining composed, she responds.

"Is that right? Where is it?"  
"Far to the west, beyond an impenetrable and never-ending blizzard. There is a city of dragon worshippers. I recovered a single book years ago from Midgard that correlated with your story you told me when you arrived a few days ago, about how there was a nation of your birth that disappeared off of the maps. At first I simply thought it was Gotham, but you said your adoptive nation's crest was that of an Eagle… well, that was Gotham's." He explains. She nods, allowing him to continue.

"This of course means that Gotham was not the nation that disappeared off of the maps… Gotham was destroyed- by Simon's reports- by something called GUNGNIR… but that doesn't account for your home city. Traders from Fort Chicano to the south and the Virgin Lakes to the west have reported that a relatively new city, resistant to outsiders, is placed beyond the impenetrable blizzard to the west. This lines up with the disappearance of your home town."

"Then how can we access it? If the blizzard is impenetrable, we cannot reach it by airship, and being landlocked we cannot reach it by boat. Neither Armoroad nor Tharsis would be able to find such a place." She explains.

"True, but here in New Etria, we have adapted trade caravans for use in the singular purpose of exploration… the landship initiative opens today, and all able bodied explorers will be expected to partake of the expedition. We will find your city, and scout out the rest of this dangerous and untamed continent."


	11. Preparation before the Next Excursion

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Eleven  
Preparation before the Next Excursion

The party awakens from the morning nap to greet the mid-day sun. They group up and head out for the explorer's guild, only to be met with someone else. Simon raises an eyebrow and walks before them.

"Marion? Where is Eli?" He asks. Marion takes off her helmet and puts it on the desk before sitting down.  
"Oh, haven't you heard? I'll be acting as guild master in Eli's place for the time being." Marion responds. Before any of them have a chance to ask another question, she speaks up again.

"If you're looking for him, he'll be working full time as the mayor from now on. You can catch him at the city hall in the center of the town. I figure you've never been there yet since he's been acting solely as guild master for so long. Now if you don't mind, there are people behind you." She says. Abel and company look behind themselves to see a small band of people behind them. They walk up to Marion and talk about wanting to be explorers. Ouroboros sees themselves out.

* * *

They wander around town before coming to a wooden lodge surrounded by hedge bushes dotted with spring blossoms. The door is open with some guards posted at the front. Figuring this must be it, the party heads inside.

Immediately, the sight is overpowering. It's lined wall to wall with monster trophies, deer heads, a lizard talon, closed buds from plant enemies, and strange marble statues for decoration. Inside is a man with a familiar face, but a body they don't recognize. It's Eli, but he's not wearing his armor.

"Ah, guild Ouroboros. Come in, I was expecting you." Eli says. His hair is bright red, almost unnaturally so, and his face is lined with cuts and dotted with punctures, all scarred over showing the fruits of a distinguished exploring career. His body, though not as broad as with the armor on, is still distinctly buff, but not overpoweringly so like Chauncy for instance. He sits on a poofy chair and invites his guests to do the same. Abel, before he forgets, takes the 5 plastic cards out of his pack and shows them to Eli.

"Ah, so the guild has finished their first main assignment. I am impressed. Second place isn't bad." He says. Kai scowls.  
"Second place…? Are you saying a guild finished first?" He asks.  
"Indeed I am. Only a few hours after I set up the official guild task, a guild consisting of two members ended up providing these plastic cards, which, by the way, you can now have back." He says, giving them back to the guild. Karina speaks up.

"Why are you giving them back?"  
"Because they are needed for you guys to enter the first real extension of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. I have denoted the Calcium Mines monster infested, and an extension of Yggdrasil; that is true, but it is not a naturally occurring stratum. As such, I have numbered it Stratum 0. These cards will grant you access to an elevator far on the end of B1F of the Calcium mines, they will lower you into the main dungeon below… where you can begin exploring for real." Eli says with a tinge of anxiety and excitement in his voice. Abel gulps, but the rest of them seem confident. Seeing as how there's no objections, Eli speaks up again.

"I'll be blunt. You'll be some of the first people to step into the first stratum. These statues you see along my longhouse are actually from there. I have deigned that area the "Forest of Foreign Marble" on account of the fact that I know they aren't native to this area." Simon nods.

"Indeed. Before, this land was simply Gotham. To have a forest sprout on top of its ashes and suddenly have marble statues is far from normal."

"True, but this was before I knew of Gotham's demise. I actually sent samples of the marble back to Midgard, they show distinct patterns that correlate with larger monsters found in other labyrinths. Namely, Stoneboars or the great Golem."

Both Simon and Kai wince at the mention of the Golem. Both of them seem to have experienced one or so before.

"But I digress. These statues are inert. In strange patterns, some look like people, some look like animals, others are just simply giant shiny white stones. Now that I know what I'm looking for, I can correlate that all of these have traces of monster biology, but not enough to be alive. I figure a monster created these with magic, which is what left the residue. I have explored all the way until B10F myself. The Labyrinth is rather simple, all things considered, and I believe with Kai and Simon's experience, along with Abel's Fafnir powers and the versatility provided by both Karina shield and Mary's bell that your guild will have very little trouble progressing through the Forest of Foreign Marble. In fact, I'm willing to give out an official quest- oh, and before I forget:" He stammers, taking something out and giving it to Abel.

"What's this?"  
"Your reward for completing your first official assignment." Eli says. Abel opens it up and blushes.  
"F… Five hundred more ental?!"  
"Consider it an investment on my end. Monster parts from the first stratum will do well to jumpstart this town's economy. I think this is in good hands." Eli smiles, his cut and toned face softening to show gratitude and hope.

"Now, I'll write up an official documentation, a call to arms for all capable explorers to venture into the Forest of Foreign Marble and reach the tenth floor. Don't worry about paperwork, I've already added you to the official dossier. With that, this meeting is adjourned. I expect great things from you."

* * *

They leave the longhouse and begin to walk to TT's Tradehouse before Mary stops in her tracks. Everyone looks back, and Karina speaks up.

"What's wrong?" She asks. Mary looks over with a worried face.  
"I know I shouldn't feel bad, but how did another guild already beat us so fast?" Mary sulks.

The group collectively remembers that there was a guild of only two members that already started their adventure, probably while they were all already in the inn. Simon looks back.

"I remember a guild of two women back in Etria, Ren and Tlatchga… they were determined, fierce competitors, but in the end my guild ended up surpassing even them. I have no doubt we will do so here as well." Simon says, patting her on the back.

"Come on. Let's get some new equipment at the tradehouse. I sure could use a new staff." Simon muses. Mary smiles and agrees.

They enter TT's Tradehouse and to their surprise, they aren't immediately greeted with the sound of cutlery falling all over the place. Instead, Tin-Tin is maintaining a mature demeanor.

"WELCOME BACK TO TIN-TIN'S TRADEHOUSE! DID YOU SEE THE SIGN OUTSIDE?!" She yells out!  
"Uh… no?" Abel honestly responds.  
"WHAT?!" Tiny Tina runs out of the shop and looks up at the roof. They all scratch their heads as she sulks back inside.

"Dang it… stupid contractors made the sign the same color as the building… bright red… you can't see it at all… BUT OH WELL!" She snaps out of her sour mood and jumps back behind the counter before showing off some things!

"I DID IT! I hired a few artisans who were looking for work here in New Etria, one was even specialized with monster materials, they're from Tharsis, and they're trained in augmenting weapons and armor with strange and fascinating attributes! I should even get a buttload of raw materials by skyship sometime next week! But until then, look what we made with the materials you all found!"

She puts extreme emphases on the new and exciting weapons and armor on the counter. A tipped with bat fangs, a calcium-ore coated hammer fixated in place with worm goo, a staff channeling the power of mole claws, as well as medium armor that's studded with monster bones, making for a strong and light (if not slightly uncomfortable) fit. They all look effective and pragmatic, and their prices are fair, especially considering they just got a loan of 500 En from Eli. Along with the 200 or so they've gathered from selling it all, they end up putting their savings back into upgrading either weapons and armor.

Karina looks on the verge of tears though. "Goodbye, sweet money…"

"WOWZA! Thanks for your patronage! I knew that loan was a smart idea, I'll be the next Shilleka for sure! Y'all come back now!"

They leave the tradehouse and set out for the Yggdrasil Labyrinth.


	12. B6F: The Forest of Foreign Marble

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Twelve  
B6F: The Forest of Foreign Marble

* * *

 **STRATUM 0  
THE CALCIUM MINES**

* * *

 **B1F  
The First Grit-Sounding Step**

They re-enter the Calcium Mines and, using the shortcut they noted on their map, squeeze through a few tight crevices along the cavern walls to arrive back at the location that Eli marked on the map. Soon they arrive near the card dispenser from before with very little resistance from monsters or FOEs. Just to the north of the device is a strange metal door.

"Is this it?" Abel asks. Karina shrugs as Simon walks over.  
"It is. This looks a lot like the elevators in Etria's Lost Shinjuku stratum... I think that slot over there is what we're looking for." He says, pointing to a rusted slit next to the elevator doors. Abel pulls out his plastic card and swipes it along. To his surprise, this causes a shot of steam to blast out! Karina takes point and they are on the defensive as the door whines and groans, opening with low power.

"Huh? It's just a tiny room. There's nothing in there." Karina says, lowering her shield.  
"Oh, you'll see." Simon smiles, walking into the room, beckoning them inside. As they walk inside, they notice all of the buttons except one are broken and spitting spark. Whatever number was on it has faded over time and instead has been painted over recently with the symbol **B6F**. Abel takes Simon's hint and pushes it and the doors start to close.

Before long they feel somewhat weightless. Before long however, the sensation fades and the door opens up again, what they see shocks them. Not even Simon was prepared for the conspicuous change in scenery.

* * *

 **STRATUM 1  
THE FOREST OF FOREIGN MARBLE**

* * *

 **B6F  
The Feeling That Defines Adventure**

They all step out of the elevator to come face to face with the new stratum. To Abel's fascination, it's bright down here, despite them being over one hundred feet under solid rock. What at least LOOKS like sunshine filters through green leaves and dense trees above, and all around them is dirt, soil, and waterfalls. To his elation, even a few white statues are indeed standing around, being choked by vines. Karina keeps her shield up, but even she is awe struck by the extreme change in scenery.

They begin to carefully explore, taking note of small animals like rabbits and squirrels jumping around, far too small to be considered monsters, recognizing that an entire ecosystem exists here in the Yggdrasil Labyrinth. Even birds can be heard tweeting about, despite the fact that they are underground. There's even wind, the air smells of flower pollen.

Before long, they come across a strange purple pillar of light. Before Abel or Karina speak up, Mary steps forward.

"That's a geomagnetic pole. I wonder where it leads… normally they connect to a nearby duchy or town hall, but I think New Etria is too young to have one of those… which means sooner or later we're going to have to figure out where it goes."

Most of what she says goes over Abel and Karina's head, but they have more than enough time to think things through as a monster appears! It's a large toad! It croaks and hops at Karina, who blocks with her shield as Mary's bell rings and causes the frog to grow sick and flop around aimlessly as Kai lands a killer blow.

"We can't let our guards down. Come on, we have a new dungeon to explore." Abel lets out. They spend the next few minutes getting their bearings and drawing what they see down on their map. To their convenience, the Labyrinth appears, at least at first glance, to be a static size. These Yggdrasils all seem to be ABOUT the same size, width-wise, and one size of map is generally enough. Mary sticks her tongue out as she continues to scribble on the sheepskin parchment.

They make steady progress, stopping for a small break along a creek that runs along their main path. The water is cool and crystal clear, and they all take a load off to drink and clean their face. With a slight exhilaration, they move on, doing battle with large bugs and what appears to be angry plantlife! They attempt to bind their legs, but swift slashes from Kai's blades sever the thorny brambles before Simon's thick club breaks more than its fair share of exoskeletons. So far, the new stratum isn't that dangerous.

Before long they come across something strange. It looks like a golden cube, buried and covered in moss. Kai walks up to it and begins to explain.

"This is a treasure chest, but not one like you're used to seeing in castles or whatnot. Labyrinths, for one reason or another, often have strange, otherworldly materials house things that might otherwise be considered mundane. Sometimes small jewels worth some hefty Ental, other times it might be equipment, like a sword or a gun. All of the labyrinths back in Tharsis were stripped clean by enterprising parties of explorers, I have to say, it's exciting to see some real ones here." He says, kicking the chest, having it pop open to reveal a strange looking cord.

"What's that?" Karina asks. Simon takes it and shows it out.  
"This is a strange, but infinitely useful device called a Warp Wire, but outside of Etria it's sometimes called an Ariadne Thread. Think of the story of Hansel and Gretel, and how they left breadcrumbs to find their way back home, now imagine each of our footsteps working the same way with a Warp Wire. All it takes is a simple tug, and we'll be whisked out of the Labyrinth safely." He explains. Abel nods and puts it in the team bag as they continue exploring.

Their blood runs cold a gigantic deer monster steps in front of them and stares them directly in the eye, but after a short period of eyeing each other, it hops away. They take a breath and Simon covers his face.

"Damn, that was scary… I don't think we're ready to take on a FOE of that size quite yet. Strangely enough, that's one I recognize. It's called a Ragelope. Normally completely docile, it will attack us only if we get in its way, or near its young. I suggest avoiding it for now." He explains, regaining his composure as they follow behind it at a safe distance, noticing the path here has been trampled. It must patrol this path quite often.

Occasionally, smaller monsters burst from the bushes to try to get the jump on the party, like a series of shelled crab monsters that attempt to violently pinch them! But a few hard smacks gives them a deathly concussion. They strip it of their claws and legs.

"Will those tiny legs be worth much back in town? Can Tin-Tin make something out of them?" Abel asks. Kai shakes his head.  
"Probably not, but we have a use for them. Ever do home cooking?" He asks, implying cooking the monster. The idea briefly repulses Karina and Abel, before the idea settles a bit more and they realize they haven't eaten since this morning.

* * *

They make sure a room is safe before starting up a campfire. Kai, always prepared, pulls out a small pot.

"During my travels, cooking can help a large amount to extend the duration of a day's exploration. These monsters are often made of Yggdrasil's magic, and eating them can pass trace amounts into us, almost always beneficial."

"Almost…?" Mary gulps. Kai laughs and reassures the young Hexer.  
"Well, back in Tharsis, there was a method of toxicology that would recognize the poison in some foods and purify them, leaving us with extremely delicious, and often very potent foodstuffs. Ever heard of Fugu? It's essentially the same as eating a puffer fish. Strip the poison; eat the meat." He explains, throwing the crab legs into a pot of boiling water. Before long they turn from an ethereal clear color into a solid white, milky color. The party begins to grow hungry, and the fire is stamped out as they begin to dig in.

"It's… sweet, and salty. It tastes just like a regular crab, but it has an earthy aftertaste." Karina notes, breaking the legs and sucking the meat out.  
"It's VERY fishy…" Mary groans, but continues to nibble on the meat that sticks out.  
"It could use some sauce." Kai notes, extracting the meat from the legs with chopsticks.  
"…" Abel says nothing, consumed with the feeding frenzy as he breaks the legs with his teeth, spitting out the shell and quickly swallowing the meat. Simon on the other hand breaks the legs with his club, before recovering the meat.

A half hour or so later, the crab legs are empty and discarded. The party is full, and what Kai said is true. They are brimming with energy, it feels a little tingly, and it's extremely satisfying. The party continues onward before they notice that the map is about half-drawn. At least, judging by how big it SHOULD be compared to B1F.

* * *

Before long however, they come across a grizzly sight… another band of explorers who probably followed them into the labyrinth while they comfortably ate the meal, their bodies lie broken and bleeding in a ghoulishly uncaring and serene grove of flowers, the colors of the yellow and pink flowers stained red with blood. Abel cringes, and Mary divers her eyes. Simon sighs.

"This is the nature of the Labyrinth. People die here. It's a constant struggle for survival. Let this be a lesson to never let our guard down…" Simon says.

They nod their heads and perform a small ceremony to dig shallow graves to give the party of unprepared explorers a small funeral. However, from beyond the hedge maze a sinister but undetected force looks at them.

"Abel… my Fafnir… welcome to the forest." A feminine voice says under its breath before disappearing into the brush. Simon, with expert instincts, looks around.

"Something wrong?" Abel asks.  
"… I don't know. Maybe it's nothing." He says. He looks around once again before moving on with the group.


	13. Field On Enemy

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Thirteen  
Field-On-Enemy

After the brief feeling of being watched, Abel and the rest of the group continue onwards. Not even a full day after the first stratum opened up to explorers, and they've already seen a few come and go. They hope none of them end up like the ones they saw back there.

They come across a field of plants, not flowers, but instead what look like fruits and vegetables. Ones they are unfamiliar with. Mary steps forward.

"I'm lightly trained it horticulture… allow me to try to take some specimens back to town, maybe some of Tin-Tin's artisans can make something with these strange plants." She says, stuffing a few into their pack. The pack is already filled with crab chitin, bug wings, and various other monster parts as they continue onward. A small battle breaks out and Karina, in the front, pulls out a heavy but small metal hammer to make short work of the small monkey enemy that attempted to do them harm. Usually her shield is enough, but if offense is required, her hammer is just fine.

They continue to explore, nearly finishing out this floor, arriving near the end. A staircase is in view that would lead even deeper into the Forest of Foreign Marble. They begin to approach it as a bloodcurdling scream lets out!

"Explorers?! Are they in trouble?!" Abel asks, drawing his spear. Karina puts up her shield and rushes to his side as they explore deeper into the forest. To their fears, one of the Field On Enemies, the FOEs, a giant deer is bullrushing a party of explorers! In a single strike, one of the swordsman are blasted aside, passing out as their body slumps along the wall. A fortress, a type of defensive warrior digs their shield into the soil, but the deer's colossal hooves constantly batter against it, threatening to break the arm of the defender holding the shield in place!

Before anyone has a chance to offer advice, for the first time in days, Abel's Fafnir powers awaken and his spear melds with his arm, becoming a savage instrument of elemental fury! As soon as he transforms, the Ragelope turns to Abel. To Abel's surprise, the Deer does not flinch, and instead careens right for him! He growls and holds his ground, but surprisingly Karina jumps in front of him and parries the charging deer with her hoplite shield, layered with spikes! It howls and jumps back, snorting.

"Abel, you're strong, but you don't have to do this alone, you have us!" Karina says, turning back to him and nodding. His skin has gone dark and his eyes glow blue, filled with rage and passion, but he nods and turns back to the FOE. His team mates rally to him, all eyes filled with determination! Mary puts her fingers to her bell and Kai holds his two daggers in an underhanded style, each leaking a different venom.

* * *

 **RAGELOPE**

* * *

It howls, crying for blood as it charges them down once more! Abel dodges as Karina lands a deft strike against its knees, causing it to stagger, but not fall! Instead it bashes her with its antlers, sending her sliding!

"KARINA!" Abel yells, but she shakes her head.  
"I-I'm fine! Keep going!" She growls. Simon rushes to her aid and begins to apply his years of wisdom for in-combat healing.

Kai throws a myriad of toxin-soaked daggers at the enraged deer, each one doing seemingly nothing, but the Deer quickly begins to pant, its blood burning like fire! Being a Nightseeker, Kai's offensive capabilities are emboldened by enemies that suffer. He rushes with the speed of the wind to slash along the Ragelope causing its blood to spray out green! It groans and takes a knee, before standing back up, but not before Abel makes his move, his mutated arm crackling with bolts of electricity as he stabs at the deer, blasting one of its horns clean off with a deafening crash of thunder! To his surprise, it still both stands and fights back, blasting him away with a kick from one of its hind hooves.

"Damn, this thing is tough…!" It once again begins to course at them, even through its various injuries before it stands in place! Everyone looks around to see what's happening to see that Mary is chanting, a purple mist leaving her robe as the Ragelope appears paralyzed. Knowing the time is now, they all rush in for another volley of attacks! Karina bashes the Ragelope as hard as she can with her shield, causing it to spit and wheeze, but not before Kai and Simon flank it, stabbing and bashing it along its weak points! It appears to break out of its bonds and attack them all, but Abel jumps into the air and his arm transforms one last time, this time into the cannon that felled the Kraken! An array of rainbow colored light blasts the deer, forcing it to the ground with elemental sparks crackling from the small crater.

He begins to pant heavily, his Fafnir form waning, but to his horror, the FOE looks to be standing back up! They grit their teeth and brace for attack, but it simply lets out one final cry and falls over.

They have won…

The dust settles and everyone sits on the grass before them, taking a few breaths. The beleaguered fortress from before walks over to them, carrying their unconscious teammate.

"Hey… you guys are guild Ouroboros…" He lets out, before continuing-  
"Thanks… you really saved us back there." He bows respectfully and begins to walk off, but Mary chases after them.

"Wait."  
"Huh?" He looks back, still carrying his teammate.  
"Are you two the ones who made it to the first stratum before anyone else? One other guild, consisting of exactly two people, ended up beating us here."  
"Oh, haha, no, that wasn't us. We were hot on your heels, though." He smiles. Mary can tell he's not lying.  
"Okay, I was just curious. You guys stay safe." She says, returning to everyone. The light within this artificial underworld begins to fade as the sunset overtakes the labyrinth. They make another campfire and begin cooking, this time various Yggdrasil vegetables by Simon.

"I recognize a few of these herbs from my journeys across the years. This will help our bodies relax and promote natural healing. After we eat, I suggest we head back to town using the Warp Wire we found." He says, a mixture of herbs, tubers, and stems all being boiled in a pot, letting off a relaxing aroma as they sit around the campfire as it crackles and warms them.

"Told you… FOEs are no joke." Simon nudges Abel, but Abel merely smiles.  
"Killed it, didn't we?" He laughs, but Karina interrupts him after a large sip of soup.  
"Yes, we did, but that's no reason to be careless. Even with your Fafnir powers, that thing was more than a match for you on your own." She says, taking away Abel's buzz, but Mary takes his side.

"Well luckily he has us, with us, he can only grow stronger!" She joyfully says. Kai looks over.  
"At the very least, you seem to use it rather well. Eli's correspondence to Caledonia should give us answers on exactly WHY he is a Fafnir to begin with."

They all chat about small things and laugh, their muscles and bones relax, and soon they activate the Warp Wire, the world around them swiftly changing until they are standing just outside of the Calcium Mines. They head back to the inn immediately, the herbs helping them relax, but also making them very tired.

* * *

Eli, back in New Etria, despite the late hours, has just about finished preparation for a new system for explorers. The Journey to the West begins now. Carriages line up ten by ten, pulled by horses, dire wolves, oxen, and all manner of beast. Some large carriages, some small, each with a single goal in mind; explore the lands around New Etria. Both he and Marion stand atop the city walls as explorers from all around the world begin pooling into New Etria, both for Labyrinth exploration, and the funded initiative revolving carriages. Word travels fast. The Labyrinth here was only rediscovered a few weeks ago, and people are already arriving in droves.

"All of this just to help me find my homeland?" Marion asks. Eli simply smiles and shakes his head.  
"Not quite, little lady. You see, other than finding the land of your birth, there's very little known about this continent south of Ontario, or west of Fort Chicano. I've heard tales of a never-ending blizzard, or a desert so hot that it melts the skin of anyone foolish enough to touch the sun's rays directly. There's more to this world out there than just in the Labyrinths." He looks back down to the people arriving even though the sun's lights have almost vanished.

"Yes, exploring the labyrinths is exciting and extremely important, but unlike the eastern nations, those in the west are not united. Armoroad tamed the impossible oceans near Etria and Tharsis, and Etria's trade routes travel west through the Grand Mongolia just to reach Lagaard. But here? Out west? It's wild, untamed, unchecked. People live, disconnected. Who knows how many labyrinths are around here, teeming with danger and mystery, ready to unleash another apocalypse on us? We must find out… both above, and below the earth." Eli says with conviction. Marion nods as the explorers continue to funnel in.

* * *

Deep within the darkness of New Etria, a young woman in a dark brown cloak wanders about the slums to meet a large man in a similar cloak.

"Kain… the Fafnir is growing in power…" The woman says. Neither of them can see each other, save the shapes of their faces through the cowl.  
"I see… then all is going well." He says, dismissively.  
"Might I ask something…?" She says to him, causing him to look over.  
"What is it?"  
"Who is he…? He seems so… familiar, though I know I haven't seen him before in my life… at least, not so long ago that I'd remember it…" The woman asks.

"I wouldn't know… if I had a guess, it would have to be because of who you were before Gungnir…"  
"Hmm… I don't remember much, only that I was looking for someone… a highlander… and I found my way to Gotham… and then…" She trails off and looks away. The man nods and puts a hand on her shoulder. His hand is gray and seem to be layered in what appears to be scales.

"I know. Come. We have work to do regarding the Fafnir."


	14. The Past

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Fourteen  
The Past

The guild gets some much-needed rest and relaxation at the Inn. Though both Kai and Simon have dealt with FOEs before their experiences in this guild, having been out of work for so long reminds them of old aches and bruises. For the first time since they have started staying here, Simon is the first one off to bed. Abel actually feels kind of chipper and sits at the bar in the Inn.

"That thing was strong." He says to Chauncy, who surprisingly responds albeit slowly.  
"What was…?"  
"Our guild killed a FOE, a Ragelope. It was a lot stronger than I thought it would be."  
"Mmm. Giant deer. They have lots of meat." Chauncy says.  
"Yeah, we gathered some, probably gonna cook it on the next expedition. We got some antlers though, great to sell apparently." Abel says. Mary hops up next him at the bar.

"Oh, hey Mary. What's up?"  
"Nothing. Just seeing what you're up to. Hey Chauncy." She smiles.  
"Hey Mary…" He says in a deep burly voice. He notices more people coming into the Inn and they're left to themselves.

"You know, I think I'm getting a hang of this whole exploring thing. I can feel my body growing more accustomed to all the action, my muscles beat like a heart, and my feet move on their own." He explains. She nods and takes out a small fruit. She peels it with her fingernails and offers some to him.

"Want some?"  
"Hmm? What is it?"  
"It's an orange." She explains.  
"A-An orange…? You mean from the Forbidden Forest in High Lagaard? Aren't these things hundreds of Ental each?" He stammers.

"Yeah. Mister Kai gave them to me. He had a bunch."  
"Kai…? He made it all the way to the Forbidden Forest? Wow… he's more of a veteran than I thought." Abel muses, taking a piece of the segmented fruit and popping it into his mouth.

It tastes extremely good. The juices burst out from every side, and it's very cool and sweet with just a slight tang. He mentally remarks that it's not worth hundreds of En, but the Forbidden Forest is extremely dangerous, and everything from it is expensive because of it. Nonetheless, he enjoys the fruit, althewhile wondering about Kai's true potential. It occurs to him that he knows the least about Kai than he does about most of the others in his group. In fact, wasn't he even a criminal? Maybe he should ask Kai. He pats Mary's head and wanders off to find Kai, who always finds a way to get lost in a crowd.

Soon, he passes by a small waft of incense, noticing that Kai is in a corner booth. He raises an eyebrow as Abel shows up.

"Oh? I expected you to be asleep by now."  
"Yeah well, maybe transforming into a Fafnir gave me enough of an adrenaline boost to stay awake. This seat taken?"  
"Not at all, go ahead." Kai smiles, sliding over. Abel sits down. Kai is drinking tea and, to Abel's surprise, is actually eating. Kai doesn't eat much.

"Whatcha' eating?" He asks.  
"Mole meat stewed in a broth of Labyrinth vegetables."  
"Woah, people make that?"  
"Indeed. The chef in the inn trained under the famous Lagaardian monster chef: Regina Dubois. Apparently, he's been asking explorers to bring back monster meat for money." Kai says, slurping some of the broth before meaningfully chewing on some of the tough meat.

"How much En is it? How far did it set us back?" Abel asks.  
"Don't worry about it. Much like before, I have my own money." Kai says, his eyes closed as he enjoys the soup.  
"How much do you have? I saw you gave Mary some Oranges."  
"…" Kai opens his eyes and looks over to Abel.  
"Does it matter?" He asks, a twinge of defensiveness in his voice. Abel diverts his eyes, but maintains his curious expression.  
"I mean… I'm curious. I've never had much. I've been an orphan, and broke, for pretty much my entire life."  
"… I see. Well, let's just say I have a large sum. I can live comfortably for the rest of my life should I decide so." He says, once again starting to eat.

With doing things like buying his own gear, eating expensive food, and those times he payed for the Guild's stuff, implying he could maintain all of that his whole life must mean he has tens of thousands of Ental, maybe even hundreds. Is Kai a millionaire…?!

"Huh… I see-"  
"Is there something you want me to buy for you or something?"  
"N-No! I just… well." Abel scratches his head. Kai can see Abel is holding something back. Kai sighs. His short black hair is bunched in a knot, like that of an eastern warrior, and his face is cut and chiseled, but lacks even a single scar.

"Speak."  
"Well… I was curious. I mean, the first time we ever met you were in chains… and now you have all of this money, and oranges- you've been an explorer, you've apparently even made it to the Forbidden Forest back in Lagaard, that's one of the most dangerous labyrinths in our recorded history… who are you? Why were you in prison?" He asks. Kai nods and smile.

"Ah, that's what this is. I was expecting this question to come sooner or later. Well, I'll be honest, I initially planned to tell you to drop it and leave it alone, but seeing you transform into a Fafnir so many times has given me reason to impart on you some wisdom." Kai says, before getting up:

"But not here. Follow me into my room." He says. Abel follows him in as Mary heads to bed herself. Karina and Simon area already asleep in their rooms as well.

Before long they enter Kai's room. Kai closes the door and pulls up a chair. Abel does the same.

"I won't go into to many specifics, so I'll bottom line it. Yes, I was an explorer, I was a very GOOD one. Back in Tharsis I explored all of the labyrinths, even the Den of the Dark Realm. However, as I mentioned a long time ago, these labyrinths were already explored. The chests were empty, the catalogues were filled; there was nothing else left to find. Even FOEs would fall easily to a well crafted set of armor made from otherworldy materials… so I wandered. I wandered west to Armoroad, and found the same… wandered north to Etria, and found the same… finally I wandered west to Lagaard." He recants, closing his eyes before he continues:

"I was already a veteran explorer at this point, clad in gear too hard for a bullet to punch through and so light that if I caught a strong breeze I would literally fly… nothing; save perhaps an especially nasty FOE could touch me, even one on one. But there was something in Lagaard, something dangerous. I teamed up with a guild and ventured to floor 31F, a previously undiscovered area, undiscovered even by the veteran explorers present beforehand. But something there happened that would forever change my life." Kai says. He blinks and then sighs.

"But that's all I'm willing to divulge for now."  
"But wait, you never explained how you ended up on the ship in those chains."  
"All in due time, young Abel. Get some sleep. We have an early morning of exploring ahead of us. B7F awaits." Abel looks ready to protest but decides against it. He nods and says goodbye, leaving. Kai spends a few hours before sleeping simply sharpening his knives."

"… Devil…"

* * *

Eli, in the town longhouse, is woken up by an urgent envoy who delivers a letter from a scout to the west. He thanks the courier and opens the letter.

 **-I have done reconnaissance around the Hoarfrost as you desired from Midgard's troops. I write you now telling you of a strange sighting I found within the blizzard.**

 **-Under normal circumstances, anyone would write this off as a mere mirage or illusion, but over the years I have seen many things. There's no denying it, there is a dragon within the Hoarfrost, but it's not causing the blizzard. I saw it slink over the clouds, golden and majestic; but in my experience, know that it is EXTREMELY dangerous and aggressive. I recommend you cease all expeditions to the Hoarfrost, lest you risk the livelihood of the very explorers you send there.**

 **-With regards, Scout Captain Flavio.**

Eli finishes the letter and blinks. There's a dragon within the Hoarfrost… he was hoping to find a city, or a town or something, but instead there's a dragon. But… what if it's both? Flavio could be right in his assertion that sending explorers there is too dangerous, but what if there "IS" a city in there? Specifically, "THE" City that Kai has been looking for this whole time? The city that was wiped off of the map more than twenty years ago…

In fact, now that he has spoken with Simon a few times, that correlates with another event that occurred about twenty years ago. Something called "Gungnir." It was the event that destroyed Gotham, blowing it off the face of the world to the point where people founded a city on top of it without even knowing…

But around that same time, Marion's civilization of origin vanished… and Ontario reports that this Hoarfrost has existed for nearly two decades as well. What if they're all connected? What happened twenty years ago?


	15. Area 1: The Eternal Grassland

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Fifteen  
Area 1: The Eternal Grassland

With a new day upon them, guild Ouroboros travels to TT Tradehouse. Dropping heaps of monster materials and even the Ragelope's horns cause Tin-Tin to drool. The artisans get hard to work, nearly instantly providing new weapons and armor for them to peruse. Abel sees something particularly interesting.

"What this…?" He asks. It looks kind of like a sword, but it's extremely broad and long, and mostly hollow. Seems inefficient for slashing due to its relatively low weight.

"Oh that? That's a Highlander Spear, though Wildlings, Protectors, Hoplites, and others can still utilize them to the best of their ability." Tin-Tin says. Abel looks down to his dinky little fish-monster spear and puts it on the shelf.

"I'd like to trade this in for the Highlander spear. How much do I owe you?"  
"Well after turning this in, about 100 En."  
"Owch. Well, alright. Here." Abel says. Most of the money they make comes from Tin-Tin, and most of the money they spend go to her and we artisans as well. It's a decent system. Abel admires how light it is, but the thin tips of the blade-spear bely the structural integrity, he could probably punch clean through a monster with this and leave a triangular hole. He thanks Tin-Tin as his party members exhaust their Ental reserves to purchase new gear and supplies as well.

As soon as they leave the shop, a bunch of explorers seem to be heading for the town gate. Are they leaving New Etria? Abel spots a pair of explorers he recognizes. The Fortress and Landsknecht from before.

"Hey! You guys! Over here!" Abel yells out. They turn around and smile.  
"Oh hey, Ouroboros. What's up?" The Fortress asks, putting his tall shield down for a second.  
"Not much, we were going to head into the Labyrinth in a few hours. Where are you guys going?"  
"Didn't you hear? Eli is giving explorers funded initiative to explore the surrounding lands by carriage and wagon."  
"Huh? Really? Why?" Abel asks. The Fortress merely laughs.  
"Well, not all of the exploring has to be done underground. Apparently, this land is ancient and was once dotted with cities and towns; each of which seemingly vanished south of Ontario or north of Chicano. We're being rewarded for drawing accurate topographical maps of this continent, which apparently is broken into four different areas. For now the funding and supplies are suitable for exploring the first one: The Eternal Grassland." He continues to explain as a horn blows.

"Sorry, we only have about an hour before the next caravan ships off. Good luck in the labyrinth!" He exclaims before running off.

"Hmm…" Abel muses before Kai moves up.  
"You want to do it?"  
"I don't know. What do you think?"  
"Well explorers of Armoroad nearly a decade ago did a similar action to this, taking their ship to draw maps of the surrounding oceans, plotting accurate, safe trade routes between sea-locked cities. This could be similar. New Etria is an infant city, and likely needs trade partners to grow beyond a simple explorer's port. The only downside is these trips, each one, can take days each. Some expeditions by sea ended up taking weeks before they arrived back in port. I imagine this would be no different." Kai explains. Abel looks over to Eli standing on the town gate.

"Well, let's see how much we're being compensated at the very least." Abel says. Kai agrees and the guild moves towards the gate to see no less than two dozen guilds lined up with stuffed caravans, barges, and the occasional solo horse with saddlebags. There's quite a roundup.

"Hey, Eli!" Abel yells out, drawing his attention.  
"Ah, Abel the Fafnir Knight, and the rest of guild Ouroboros. You here to begin exploring Great America?"  
"America?" Abel asks. Eli nods and walks down from the ramparts above to meet him.  
"Indeed. I've claimed a few tomes recovered by Midgard the other day during my various attempts to research Fafnirs. Unfortunately, I don't have anything concrete to tell you so long as Caledonia doesn't send anything, but along the way I learned that in ancient texts recovered from Lost Shinjuku that this land here was once called America, and other than Ontario or Fort Chicano, we have basically no maps of the surrounding land. I seek to change that." Eli looks to the west. Mountains, forests, and rivers as far as the eye can see.

"I've sent some Midgard scouts as far west as I can, but they are stopped in Area 3, the Hoarfrost. For now, I'm opening exploration of Area 1, the Eternal Grassland. Scouts are great, but they're not explorers. At least, not all of them, and their goal wasn't to draw maps, but instead to find threads. So far, only Areas 3 and 4 have shown any notable hostility about them, so exploring 1 and 2 should be fine. Are you guys up to the challenge?"

"Well, Kai told me that exploration of this scale could take days, or even weeks at a time. What do we get out of this?"  
"Ah, hence why I've provided incentives. All guilds that create an accurate, easy to read map of the surrounding 100 Kilometers will be awarded with a purse containing 1000 Ental, and in proving their mettle, I will improve their caravans to be able to support larger, longer adventures. I'm talking titanium alloys and spiked wheel barding to climb mountains or snow, and even more rewards for exploring more areas."

"A… thousand En, huh? That's… that's a lot." Abel considers. He looks back to his guild.  
"Do you guys wanna go for a little land-surfing?" Abel asks. Karina slaps him on the back and grins.  
"Anywhere you go, I go, little bro." She says. Mary shrugs.  
"I mostly want to explore the labyrinth, but I don't see why we can't do both. Who knows? We could find something out there to improve our exploration." She surmises. Simon agrees.  
"Indeed. Forewarned is forearmed. This place isn't like Etria or Lagaard, we are not intimate with our surroundings. If there's something out there, we could use it, or defend against it." He explains, before finally Kai steps forward.

"I'll be honest. I'm very excited to explore these lands. Ever since I first started as an Explorer, I've wanted to venture into the unknown. Exploring Great America… it may even be more exciting than exploring the Labyrinth. I say we go for it!" Kai exclaims with a rarely shown excitement. Abel nods and turns over to Eli.

"Then it's settled, guild Ouroboros. The first trip is free, as is the caravan. I will provide a modest one, capable of comfortably housing 4 people with one at the front, guiding the oxen as they provide you with forward momentum. I can provide a barrel of either bread or fish for your eating for the next few days." He explains.

"Bread sounds good."  
"Alright. Once again, I'll take care of the paperwork, as I have great expectations of you both in and out of the labyrinth. Exploration begins in ten minutes. All explorers will leave at once so you won't get in each other's way when you pick a direction to start exploring. After all, dozens of map fragments can be combined into one big map." Eli smiles. He walks back up to the rampart as the guild gets ready.

* * *

 **Area 1: The Eternal Grassland**

* * *

All of the guilds take off at once. Some going fast, others getting their bearings. Abel blushes and sweats as he tries to control the two oxen moving their wagon, but he eventually gets the hang of it and they start exploring directly west as the other explorers fan out in all other directions. Even upon the rough, un-roaded grass and dirt, the wagon is relatively comfortable and stable due to the axels and hydraulics beneath.

At first, everyone takes in the fact that they're doing raw, horizontal exploration, but after an hour passes, they begin talking amongst each other as the morning turns to noon.

"So I never asked:" Karina says, catching Mary's attention-  
"Why "do" you want to explore the Labyrinth? I mean for real."  
"Well, because I have the power to. With my bell, I have the capacity to explore, and those with a capacity have a responsibility, don't they?" She answers with a very philosophical question belying the fact that she's barely ten years old.

"I… uh… S-Simon, you get this one." Karina shifts the conversation to Simon.  
"What…?! You asked the question!"  
"Well I didn't understand the answer, so you do it, smartypants!"  
"Gah, fine. From what I can gather, Mary seems to believe that those with power have a responsibility to use it. She thinks her bell and power over curses means she should explore the labyrinth. Isn't that right?" He surmises. She nods, still in her Hexer garb, but with holes poked in so her arms can stick out. Unlike most Hexers, she doesn't need to be completely bound to control her bell for some reason.

"That's right. I have this power, so I should use it. That's what I've been taught." She explains.  
"Hmm? Who taught you?" Karina asks.  
"Oh, uh. M-My brother. Yeah." She strangely stutters. Karina raises an eyebrow but has no reason to doubt what she's saying.  
"Well I'm not sure if I COMPLETELY agree with the concept. Meritocracy is great, but it shouldn't be forced. If you don't want to explore, you shouldn't have to."  
"I have to explore." Mary bluntly states once again.

Karina drops it and looks out the window as the hours pass. Every once in a while, a wild monster rears its head. Large FOEs, looking like large bison eye them, but keep to themselves most of the time. They've gone so far that they can't see the city anymore, but a compass and well-drawn map let them know how to get back. They notice something in the front of the wagon.

"What's this?" Karina asks, before opening a small box. Inside is what looks like a Warp Wire, but it's huge.  
"Ah, that must be a Transport Wire. It's like a warp wire, except it can be used to move entire vehicles. Armoroad and Tharsis used these. This essentially means we can keep exploring until our barrel runs out of food, instead of just half." Kai explains.

"Oh… right… haha, because we've been keeping track of that, right…?" Mary nervously says, opening up the barrel. Inside is less than a fifth of what was normally there.

"… Well it's a good thing the wagon comes with a Transport Wire." Simon sighs and laughs.

They continue exploring by wagon before coming across a large cave. They decide to investigate and find a lot of precious metals inside, like silver and gold. They take a fat haul and put it in the wagon before deciding that now is a good time to stop. The pull the Transport Wire and arrive back in town as the sun starts going down.

They hop out of the wagon and begin to stretch, noticing about half of the explorers have returned with their wagons as well. The other half must still be out exploring. They go into town and look at their map. It's detailed, but small. They explored mostly in one straight direction. A full day going west and they went JUST ABOUT 100 kilometers away, and that was with minimal breaks and no interruptions by monsters or FOEs. If the other explorers can get the maps for the north and south, as well as northwest and southwest, then they could pool them together for a complete map. The cave they explored, as well as the field where the huge FOEs graze, are also marked on their map.

They go by TT Tradehouse and sell the ores. While they fetch a decent price of 200 Ental for the whole haul, Tin-Tin was a tad upset that they weren't monster materials but is happy to receive the gold and silver for potential economic boosts in the future. Though they didn't get into any fights, mining the ore took a bit out of them, and they return to the inn to relax.

* * *

The strange woman from before stands on top of the inn as the explorers approach, obscured in the sunset with her auburn colored cloak.

"I know I know that boy… beyond just the ability to coax his Fafnir powers out… but he's so young. There's no way I would have personally known him as anything other than a baby before Gungnir…" She says to herself. Her feet poke out of the cloak and she wears no shoes, her feet showing a gray coloration with what look like scales upon them.

The man from before walks up from behind her.  
"What are you doing?" He asks.  
"Simply keeping an eye on the Fafnir…" She admits. The man furrows his brow.  
"Our connections to the past mean nothing. The Fafnir and the Necromancer must reach our God so that we may attain our freedom. Do not jeopardize our operation with doubts." He states, but she turns around with an angry face.

"But we ARE him! Our god is us and we are our god! Why can't we not just live our lives like this?"  
"Because the farther we are from him, the weaker we become. On the surface, we're mere humans. Only with the power of a Fafnir can we break the laws set in place so many years ago. If you want to be free, then do what you have to. The Fafnir must rise in power, reach his full potential, and then die. Do not forget what we are now." He states, his burly form also hidden by a brown cloak. But she diverts her eyes.

"But that girl… don't you have a connection to her as well?"  
"It doesn't matter. None of that matters. I don't know who she thinks I am, but we're the only ones with the power to break this cycle… and those with power have a responsibility to use it."

"… Right…" She says, jumping off the building and disappearing into a dark ally. The man walks forward and looks down at the party entering the Inn. He looks at Mary and scowls.

"These feelings mean nothing."


	16. B7F: A Convincing Sneak

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Sixteen  
B7F: A Convincing Sneak

The party, after relaxing in the inn for a short reprieve, head back out to the Dungeon, before noticing something new. A pillar of purple light spurts from the ground before disappearing shortly upwards by a few stories.

"Isn't that a geomagnetic pole?" Abel asks Mary, who nods.  
"Looks like Eli managed to build one." She says, before both Simon and Kai walk up to her.  
"You can BUILD a geomagnetic pole?" They ask, before she nods and turns around. She pulls something out of her pocket, a kind of memento she hasn't shown until now. It looks like a small amber pendant.

"Yeah, back in my home town of Aslarga before we moved to Lagaard, people would build forts within the many stratums of the Yggdrasil Labyrinth, within that fort they could guide and manipulate the Geomagnetic Fields and create their own shortcuts. I guess since New Etria is still so fresh, that we couldn't wait for one to appear on its own, so we now have an artificial pole, and a shortcut back to floor 6." She explains.

"Fascinating. I've heard stories of Aslarga and its strange amber, but I never thought to study the exploration methods itself." Simon nods to himself. Before long, they stand before the pillar of pink energy and touch it.

* * *

 **STRATUM 1  
THE FOREST OF FOREIGN MARBLE**

* * *

 **B6F  
The Feeling That Defines Adventure**

* * *

They begin exploring the first floor of the first (real) stratum once more. The monsters that were once a threat begin to be blown aside one by one with minimal effort. The FOEs that were so threatening are now possible to be destroyed if required, but they still give them a wild berth just in case.

Before long, they reach the staircase they noticed from before. Looking down at the map that Mary's been drawing, they've more or less searched this floor, with a few exceptions being impassable areas to the north and east. They approach the staircase and begin to walk down.

"This is kind of exciting…" Abel says. Karina, who is in front, looks back.  
"Yeah, I wonder if anyone else has come down here yet?" She responds, Mary looks over with a sour look.  
"Probably that one guild that beat us here…"

* * *

 **B7F  
** **A Convincing Sneak**

* * *

They make it even lower into the first stratum, noticing that the light is still bright down here, despite the fact that solid dirt and stone is above them vertically. The nature of the labyrinth is strange, but they stay on their guard as they continue to explore.

To their surprise, the monsters present here are much stronger than before, no longer a simple assortment of crabs and moles, instead things appearing like armadillos or flying butterflies whose wing dust is toxic to the touch. Ragelopes are nowhere to be found, but they can still passively feel that FOEs are nearby.

Hours pass with monsters falling one by one to a careful progression, and the map of the seventh floor is almost half drawn. Several kilometers squared isn't huge per se, but when your progression is halted by maze-like twists and turns and the occasional ambush of giant hairy beasts, then you're not progressing at your desired speed.

Before long, they set up camp in high noon and begin to eat some of the salted venison from their latest FOE kill.

Abel remarks how thick and juicy it is, despite being two days old, being educated by Simon to the practices of preserving foods with salt. Karina says it might be the tastiest thing she's ever had, but Mary insists that it's about sharing food with good company that makes this food great. Kai nods and smiles as he offers them all some orange juice from the last of his stash.

"No more like that. I hope you guys like it." He says as they pucker slightly from the spike of tang, before it settles into a satisfying sweet. The acid burns away the salt and clears their palette before they are ready to set off again. However, as they begin to move on, one of the statues moves! Karina barely has time to block with her huge shield as a giant praying mantis, shaped to pretend to be one of the statues makes itself known as aggressive!

* * *

 **Harvester**

* * *

The FOE known as a harvester, a giant insect with sharp sickle appendages with a carapace as hard as stone stands defiant over the group! Far more collected than the Ragelope, it carefully circles the group, trying to get behind Karina to strike at the less defensible party members! It sharpens its blades with loud grinding as Karina slams her spiked shield into the beast! It hisses with insectile clicking and attempts to slash at her, to have its many attacks slide and lock into her shield!

Abel thrusts with his newly purchased highlander spear and it slides between the monster's defensible carapace and punctures weak points! It turns its eyes to Abel but Kai jumps onto its back and skewers its shoulders with toxin tipped daggers! It falls to its knees as Mary chants a spell that causes its eyes to go foggy. Before long, it can be seen slashing at its own neck!

"SUICIDE!" Mary yells out as it howls, taking off its own head with a solid slash, slumping over dead. The group wipes the sweat from their brow, recognizing how much stronger they've become over just a short period of time. They harvest useful materials from the FOE and continue about their exploration, noticing the Harvester was standing in the way of a hidden path.

They continue exploring the unassumingly dangerous labyrinth, noticing more statues that look like Harvesters, and actually intentionally baiting their attention and trapping them in rooms while they loop back to explore behind the paths they blocked. Before long they even find a second staircase leading even further into the Forest of Foreign Marble. However, they are tired, and dealing with a single foe with a dash of monsters has gotten them tired. They pop one of their warp wires and travel back to town.

* * *

Abel stretches and suggests they sell stuff before heading back to the inn. Before long, they arrive at TT's Tradehouse.

"Hia! What do you guys got for me tod- woah…" She trails off as they place the white insect sickle on the desk. She traces along it with her finger and smiles.

"Wow, you guys are bonafied FOE killers, huh? I'm impressed. Here's the stuff for this!" She excitedly states, sliding well over a thousand Ental to the team.

"I'm gonna have to start hiring more artisans at this rate!" She smiles and they leave, making a note to return tomorrow to see what she fashions out of it.

* * *

They are back in the inn again, and they notice their tab has gone up. Abel looks over to Chauncy.

"H-Hey, this is almost double the amount we had to pay to stay here just yesterday!" He complains.  
"Hmph. Lots of explorers now. Very desirable inn, right next to the labyrinth…" He mumbles in a deep voice.  
"I… I get that, but double? Dang… fine, here's 50 Ental. For one night, sheesh." Abel groans. He knows they have a thousand and then some En, but that won't be for long, especially tomorrow, buying supplies from Tin-Tin. He stretches and heads to bed early. He takes his armor off, noticing his arm has become even darker now. The power of the Fafnir throbs in it. He hears a knock at the door and tells them to come in. It's Simon, the tall, glasses wearing silver haired adult.

"I apologize for interrupting anything, but Eli stopped by earlier and I thought you'd like to talk about that arm of yours. You know, being a Fafnir." Simon explains.

"Huh. Kind of a coincidence, I was just thinking about it. What's up?"  
"Well, as you know, he's been waiting for a correspondence back from Caledonia for weeks now. They held back from responding because they were looking for any mention of Caledonian princesses related to anyone ever brought over to New Etria. After all, Eli said you did not have the arm at all, and then once the Kraken appeared, you awoke as a Fafnir, correct?"

"Yes." Abel says, recalling all that he knows about this strange phenomenon. He sits down at the foot of his bed, his short black hair banking. Simon flips through the various papers, taking a few interesting ones out and setting the rest down.

"Caledonia sent their reports, as well as several duplicates, of which this is one that Eli is sharing with me. You said you don't remember your mother, but what about your father?" He asks.

"Well, no, I don't remember my mother. I don't remember anything about her. I don't know who she was, where she came from, or even her name. My dad however, I at least know he was a Highlander who was disgraced by his people, and left to explore the world, to find a way to redeem himself and the Highlander people he wronged."

"And you don't know WHERE he went?"  
"I don't. I don't even know if he's still alive. I don't know if either of them are still alive. I mean, the story is that my mom died, that's what Karina's mom told us, but in reality, there wasn't a funeral, there wasn't a body. She just disappeared one day, just like my dad."

"I see. I'm sorry that happened to you… but that also raises a couple of interesting possibilities. Here, look at this." Simon says, handing one of the reports to Abel. He turns it inside out and upside down, but he can't really glean anything important from it. Simon chuckles and takes it back.

"It's a list of Caledonian Queens, Princesses, and Heiresses; you know, people would inherit the throne if the royal family died. About eleven years ago, Princess Arianna of Caledonia set off to High Lagaard to tame the Calamity sealed there along with a Fafnir Knight. Her family's royal duty was to do just that for thousands of years, but the Calamity was destroyed, and the Caledonia Royalty struggled to find legitimacy in their traditions. A full decade of peace and prosperity, and thankfulness from the Laggardian people was nice, but they grew restless. This is a list of royalty, princes and princesses who ended up disappearing from Caledonia. Most returned claiming they wanted to go on adventure, others are presumed wandering, or dead." Simon explains.

"I'm… a bit lost. What's this have to do with me, or why I'm a Fafnir?"  
"Well, one Caledonian Heiress kept in contact with the royal family as she wandered the trade routes through the arctic circle to Ontario and was last seen heading east. This was almost twenty one years ago, more than a full decade before other royal members went on their journeys, and she sticks out specifically because there was a report that she actually came to Gotham."

"Gotham…? Wait, you mean the city where you came from? The destroyed city that was once right here?"  
"Indeed. It's not certain, far from it actually, but it's something."  
"Wait I'm still confused…"  
"Well… so am I. After all, Gotham was destroyed around the same time she was supposedly visiting it. Even if she was your mother, that would mean she's dead now… and if she was dead, how are you a Fafnir?

"I feel like we're back at square one…" Abel mopes.  
"Not necessarily. Eliminate the impossible and what remains must be the truth. Eli will keep corresponding with Caledonia, and I will do the same with Midgard. You get some rest. Doctor's orders." He jokingly says. Abel smirks.

"Alright. Good night, Simon."


	17. B8F: A Never Ending Circle

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Seventeen  
B8F: A Never-Ending Circle

The group awakens and heads to Tin-Tin's shop, only to see she's created something strange out of the stone sickle. They look upon a large, shining scythe with a broad handle. Though it seems smaller than the sickle itself. Before they have a chance to ask, she also presents a rough but sharp Katana made entirely of the remaining Harvester chitin. Both of the items together are worth just about all they have, but Mary is insistent on getting that Bone Scythe. Abel, as a Fafnir, seem a natural fit for the Captain's Katana as well.

They begrudgingly pay for the two weapons and leave the shop. Mary usually has been going with a small book for channeling incantations rather than an actual weapon, but this scythe has engravings on it that also empower magical casting, in addition to its general fear factor. Pleased (but broke) the team sets out once more for the labyrinth. They make it all the way back to the stairs at the end of the seventh floor and take them down.

* * *

 **B8F: A Never-Ending Circle**

* * *

They arrive at the bottom, and keeping up with the strangeness of the labyrinth, it's still very bright down here, despite being lower than a large building is tall. They keep on their guard and progress through the labyrinth, large platypuses with poisonous barbs attempt to strike at them, but Abel's new katana is swiftly drawn, turning them into corpses which Mary uses with her enchanted scythe, causing a bloody empowerment to slash at a myriad of large sloth monsters!

The few battles end and everyone looks to Mary. Simon speaks first.  
"I've never seen a Hexer with such combat proficiency, good job!" Simon says with Kai following.  
"Yeah I agree, I've seen hundreds of Hexers, but none wielded a scythe like this. I'm impressed." Mary scratches her head and blushes.

"I-It's just coming naturally. You know, much like how I can control my bell."

They continue onward, noticing they've been going in circles for a while.  
"Mary, what's the map looking like?" Abel asks. Mary looks down and wonders if she made a mistake.  
"I mean, I must have messed up, because there should be an opening we came through right there." Mary points at a wall of foliage, tall and flat much like the rest of labyrinth. Karina moves against the wall and touches it, only for it to open up with a weird wormlike monster behind it! It has a large cyclopean eye and tendrils that keep a wall that look like the labyrinth up! They don't have time to react, and instead have to fight!

* * *

 **Forest Creeper**

* * *

Out of defense, Karina attempts to put her shield up, but the solid wall bricks blast her back before she can put it up! She slides along the dirt and Abel transforms into a Fafnir! His katana combines with his corrupted arm and becomes a sharp sickle! Kai throws a myriad of needles that poison the beast, but it slithers forward and attempts to crush Abel, who nonetheless as a Fafnir puts up a massive amount of resistance! Having grown accustomed to his transformations, he begins to unleash a torrent of flame at the beast who blocks the attack with a frontal shield of debris!

Simon runs to Karina's side and tends to her immediate wounds and helps her stand up! She returns to Abel's side as Kai runs behind the beast, looking for weakspots.

"This thing reminds me of similar enemies in Lagaard's Ginungagap… don't let your guard down, because neither will it!" He tells them, whipping out his daggers and slashing along its bodies, clearing the surface of roots and vines before reaching a fleshy underside! Karina challenges it by bashing into its natural shield with her own, surprisingly holding fast by planting her feet to the ground as it attempts to overpower her! Standing easily over ten feet tall and weighing almost a ton, Karina performs extremely well in keeping it still!

Abel's arm begins to glow in a rainbow fashion as Mary slashes at it- inflicting curse after curse, making it slower and more apathetic! Knowing that now is his chance, Abel unleashes a laser of prismatic energy directly at the enemy's exposed eye! It howls in pain as the explosion causes its eye to burn away, leaving it blind and in pain! It begins to thrash around, smacking everyone away from it! It bubbles in frothy madness, charging the group down the linear path! Karina does her best to hold it back, but sparks fly as her iron boots slide across the stone and marble flooring of this area! Before long however, the toxins embedded by Kai begin to slow it down!

To everyone's surprise, Karina begins pushing it back, its sticky body grinding against the rough ground, causing it to bleed! Exploiting the weakness, the rest of them charge at its sides! Abel has transformed back into a human since his Fafnir form was drained upon using the laser, his Katana still cuts through its worm-like flesh easily, drawing blue blood as it spatters upon the green leaves of the forest! Before long, it simply gives up and falls to the ground leaking various fluids.

They sigh and take a breather. They gather what look like rare minerals from its fake wall face and go back to exploring this circle, realizing that what was once drawn as a solid wall is now an open path. That monster must have been trying to cut off all of their escapes in some kind of circular fashion. Perhaps it feeds by starving its enemies slowly in an enclosed environment. They continue exploring regardless.

Before long however, they come across a young woman standing in the middle of the forest. The monsters around her seem to completely ignore her existence. Abel walks forward to greet her, but Simon yanks him back.

"Huh? Simon?"  
"Don't. Don't you feel that? A FOE is nearby…" Simon says.  
"So? That just means she's in danger."  
"Don't be naïve, this is the labyrinth, and there's no FOE in sight. I've come across monsters that take human form before. This may be one." He says, looking over to her.

"Hey, it's dangerous here." Simon yells as a test to illicit a reaction. To everyone's surprise the woman looks back. Her black hair giving way to show her rough, gray skin. Her eyes open, showing a striking red sheen.

"Ah, the Fafnir and the rest of his party… you've finally made it this far into the Labyrinth." She says.  
"What the? How do you know I'm a Fafnir?! Who are you?!" Abel yells, drawing his katana, now certain that Simon's fear was correct.  
"Even if I wanted to, I couldn't tell you." She says, presenting a book. Normally not a weapon, Kai recognizes it for what it is!  
"GET DOWN!" He yells, tackling his team mates as a bolt of lightning explodes from it! They look to see a tree split in half from the power.

They rise to their feet and adopt battle positions. The woman smiles as what looks like a lizard tail slides along her feet. She is obviously not human or even a Bushi, but as a monster- she can talk?!

* * *

 **Strange Woman**

* * *

Karina is up first, but is quickly blasted away by a show of astrological force!

"This woman is an Armorodian Zodiac! Be on your guard!" Kai yells as her feet leave the ground, small crystals flying around her allowing her to float. She unleashes a barrage of magic against the group! Each of the attacks are easy enough to dodge, but show they have enough force to destroy the forest around them! Trees are split in half, craters are made in the ground, nearby monsters are caught in the crossfire and destroyed in a single hit!

Abel's had enough and Transforms again despite his intense fatigue! Upon doing so, the woman looks over and smiles.  
"Hah… still so weak. Come, Fafnir, surely you can present more power than just this!" She yells, launching a fireball at him, which he effortlessly slashes in half with his monster arm! None of the other party members can even get close, but Abel is able to make progress, dodging lightning bolts, slashing through fireballs, and enduring blasts of frost. Before long, he's up in her face and unleashes his Fafnir laser, a prismatic beam of black and white light that hits her in her core, causing her to slide along the ground and cough up black blood.

She looks up and spits the blood to the ground.

"Not bad, but not enough." She says, blasting Abel back to his friends, being caught by Karina. They look over and growl as she puts her book away, her lizard-like tail slinking under her robes. She turns her back on the ground and vanishes.

"What was that all about?" Abel asks. The group recovers, but decides it's best to head back to town now."

They spend an uneasy time in the inn. For the first time since they got here, they don't talk to each other that much, and instead get some well needed rest. Tomorrow, they have to tell Eli that there's someone, or perhaps a great many somethings in the labyrinth that are distinctly inhuman, yet possess language, and they've targeted Abel.


	18. B9F: A Painful Reprieve

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Eighteen  
B9F: A Painful Reprieve

The party enters the longhouse in New Etria to see Eli talking to a large man in an obscuring coat. Not much about the man can be seen. Eli looks to guild Ouroboros and then back to the man.

"We'll talk later." Eli says to the man, who nods and leaves. As the man passes by, Mary looks up through the shawl of his cloak. The man looks down at her.

Even if only for a second, Mary seemed to gasp before the man continued onwards. No one noticed, but she continues onward as they reach Eli at the table.

"So, guild Ouroboros, what brings you here?" Eli asks. Abel speaks up.  
"We met a strange woman within B8F, she looked human, but was distinctly… something else. Like, a monster woman." Abel explains. Eli puts his hand to his chin.

"You may expect me to be surprised, but most of the Yggdrasil Labyrinths have reported similar things. The Forest Folk, the Winged Ones, the Bushi, the Embermen… the list goes on. It's possible this labyrinth has a race of intelligent hybrids as well. Was she aggressive?" He asks, Mary nods to answer.

"Very… she attacked all of us, forcing us back in a single barrage of Zodiac magic, and even fought Abel's Fafnir transformation to a draw." Mary explains. Eli looks concerned and ponders.

"So… early. Usually in the other Yggdrasils the forest people would not be on the early floors, presumably because their biology, culture, or mysticism prevents them from doing so. But so early? In the first stratum? And they look human-like? This is concerning… who's to say that they can't simply arrive on the surface whenever they will?" Eli asks. Mary diverts her eyes. The rest of the group sighs.

"Regardless, this woman is apparently very dangerous… I'm issuing a warning to the Explorer's Guild. Remember, you are not required to explore the labyrinth… if you feel your lives are in danger, retreat." Eli says in finality, sitting down at his desk.

"Thank you for this update, you may go now… I have a lot of work to do regarding this new development."

They all leave and naturally gather around the town center as the people of New Etria go about their busy days.

"Should we go back into the forest?" Simon asks. Kai shakes his head.  
"If that woman shows up again, who knows what will happen to us. I recommend we lay low." He suggests, but Mary growls.  
"But we have to! She's not just going to go away! If she lives in there, she's ALWAYS going to be there! Besides, we have to explore deeper! You know… to figure out Abel's Fafnir and… stuff." She half heartedly explains, but Karina actually agrees. She bashes on her chest armor with a smile.

"We know who she is, and her fighting style now! If she shows up again, we won't be taken off guard. It's five on one, I don't care HOW strong she is!" She pridefully boasts, actually convincing Abel.

"Wow, good speech. Well… this is a group, and this is extremely dangerous, I won't make anyone come if they're not comfortable. Kai?" Abel asks Kai knowingly. He sighs and crosses his arms.

"I… suppose risk is the spice of life. We gain nothing by waiting, her living in the forest is a good point… let us continue into the Forest of Foreign Marble."

* * *

 **B8F: A Never-Ending Circle**

* * *

They return to the floor where they met the woman, but she's gone, only the singes of fire and electricity upon the black grass remain to tell a story of her existence. They look beyond where she once was, and they find the staircase down. Reasonably sure that they're safe (or the closest thing to it in the labyrinth) they head down.

* * *

 **B9F:** **A Painful Reprieve**

* * *

They lower to the bottom floor to be met with an instantaneous feeling of malice. Howling is abound as the sound of every Foe they've faced thus far seems present on this floor. Karina keeps her shield up as they continue exploring. The basic monsters on this floor are also quite tougher than usual, crabs- now larger and blood red stalk the riverside and giant fish leap out of the water and fly through the air seemingly magically.

Ragelopes and Stalkers patrol areas and eat smaller monsters that wander too close. Though they've grown stronger, taking on two FOEs at once is suicide. They look to find an alternate path only to come face to face with a Forest Creeper! Surely this floor is a hazardous habitat where only the mad tread.

Employing tactics from earlier, Abel transforms into a Fafnir as Karina draws its ire. The blood spattering to the forest walls attracts vampire bats that ambush them and make their lives just that much more difficult! After penetrating its gooey hide, the adventurers succeed in felling the Forest Creeper with a large sigh of relief. They are growing in strength down here, and their many successes are attributed to their knowledge and experience of the enemies around them.

* * *

After a while, they decide to make camp and they exchange small stories to each other. Abel goes first.

"Well, I was talking to Simon the other day, and we aren't any closer to finding out who my mom is, but he, and Midgard, have a theory that it's tied to a princess of Caledonia who went missing decades ago. Obviously, that couldn't be my mother, as she's been missing for longer than I've been born… and Karina's mom met my true mother a very long time ago. I just don't know anything about her." Abel explains among the crackling campfire. Karina speaks up.

"Yeah. I don't remember much, I was just a kid when I met her… but shortly after you were born, she disappeared. I can tell you right now that there is no way she was a Caledonian Princess, after all, you being a Fafnir being attached to that ancient ritual… thing… it can't be done on accident. It has to be extremely well thought out, and even if your mom was one in hiding, she didn't have any training, any scholars or tutors… it's just not possible. Your father on the other hand…" She trails off. Simon looks over.

"Indeed. It's possible his father had the Caledonian connections that somehow link to Abel's Fafnir transformation. But we know remarkably little about him, besides that he was a highlander who was shamed and vanished from all knowledge. But there are problems… a Caledonian Ritual to decide a Fafnir can only be done in an event of extreme emotional grounding, and the person needs to be present, if not in body, then at least in spirit. If… whatever Caledonian princess gifted this power to Abel, it had to have been an extremely long time ago before even he could remember… perhaps as a baby." Simon surmises, but Kai squints.

"Can a knighting ritual even truly be done upon an infant? Sometimes even rightful heirs fail the ritual." He asks. Simon shrugs.

"The Fafnir that visited Lagaard over ten years ago was in a unique circumstance not too much unlike Abel's, where he was gifted the Fafnir powers very early in life before he could easily remember it. It turned out it was his childhood friend, who also was a Caledonian princess, in a time of extreme stress, chose him to be Fafnir. It can happen to a child, why not a baby?"

They sit around the campfire before dusting the dirt off them and tending to a warp wire. They've been here long enough, having explored a good chunk of the floor. Tomorrow, the floor will be easier to explore with a few FOEs dead.


	19. A Helping Hand

Etria's Odyssey  
Chapter Nineteen  
A Helping Hand

The party returns to town after exploring a good bit of floor B9F, only to notice a new building is set up in the town square. A sort of out-door bar and restaurant, it's already drawing a crowd of civilians and explorers. Abel and the others walk up to the lip of the bar to be met with a busty blonde woman in a red poofy coat that accentuates her bodily features. One might say she kind of looks like a pirate, the knife dug into the counter helps that case.

"Aye, what can I do for ye?" She speaks in a mixture of sultry and slur. Abel can't help but blush as her significant… personality is displayed before him, before Karina sighs and speaks up.

"Hello, is this a new establishment? We're explorers, and we're curious about it." She asks.  
"Aw right, this here is the "Wet Lady." A testament to my career as a fighter on the high seas. It's where grizzled folk such as yerself can relax and lose some coin to the poison… wait, how old are ye?" She asks.

"Old enough to kill giant monsters, lady." Karina scowls. She laughs.  
"HAW! The name's Hook! A nickname I adopted on the high seas. But uh…" She says, her face turning serious for a second, allowing Karina to actually focus.

"To be honest, there's another reason this restaurant exists… and it's not just for fun…" She says in dire tones.

"This here is where bounty hunters and the such place rewards for actions or items in the labyrinth. You see, explorers scour the stratums and when they come back with tales of riches, the common folk and rich folk alike with wallets full of coin place rewards for it… but this ain't like the bars and taverns back in the rest of the Yggdrasil towns; every single floor of this labyrinth is new content! And the higherups, from Etria to Tharsis, want to be the first to claim the riches from this place… so; if you think yerself tough, how boutcha prove it?"

Hook, the voluptuous blonde-haired pirate woman raises an eyebrow as men and women, all grizzled and chiseled, sit around an open-air bar to drink and discuss things. Abel and the others pull up a seat as Hook slides a request to them, leaning over to give Abel a full view of her ample… personality. He gulps but maintains his composure despite his slowly red turning face, drawing ire from Karina off the side of his vision.

But besides that, there is a request from a grieving widow in town for 1500 Ental, a request to destroy a FOE on B1F, the Calcium Mines. Simon notices this and speaks up.

"The giant worms that were tunneling in the mines? They're quite a step above the Ragelopes and Harvesters we've been striking out against. Are you sure we're up to the task?" He asks Abel, who puts a finger to his chin.

"Well you're right that we've been making short work of those lesser FOEs… I haven't even needed to rely on the Fafnir for most of them. If that woman earlier was any indication, we need to continue growing in power, let's read more about this mission." He says as Hook takes the wanted poster with a smile.

"Decided to take it, eh? All the piss easy missions have been taken by greenhorns but I hear y'all are about to make it to the tenth floor… grats kids… but about this mission… yes it's true these FOEs are deadly and nasty and importantly… they're completely skippable. Most novice guilds tend to sidestep them just to reach the elevator, but this woman's husband was not one of them. His guild game from Lagaard and considered themselves hot stuff… but I guess the years off their feet and the unknown nature of the monster caught them off guard. The other four in his guild made it out but he was fatally wounded before they reached the doctor… hence this quest." She explains.

They all nod in solidarity and after preparing, head off to B1F.

* * *

 **B1F: The First Grit-Sounding Step**

* * *

They enter the first floor. It's been dominated enough by even rookie guilds that the guards present are sparse and most of the people they see are talking at the entrance. The Geomagnetic Pole outside of the cave entrance usually means that the only people entering the cave are guards, miners, or rookie explorers, though guild Ouroboros is decked out in gear made from tough monster bones, and weapons made from the remnants of FOEs, catching the eyes of other explorers as they pass by.

Before long, they step into the next room, and to their expectation, one of the large worms is present still chipping at the walls as usual, beckoning a question from Mary.

"Wait, now I'm sort of curious. Why is it always doing this? I never see it eating anything." She asks, causing Simon to perk up.  
"My theory is that it's slowly grinding away at the salt and calcium deposits along the walls, hence the constant slimy trail. Since most of what it does is slide along a slippery, straight path, it must not exert much energy to do this, and it in fact gets to save more energy by combining the act of moving and the act of eating." He surmises.

They spend long enough gawking and decide to finally stand in its way. It slows down upon reaching them and huffs almost intelligently to get them to move, but they don't. Instead they draw their weapons, and the worm begins to rumble, opening its great maw and revealing a great many spear-like teeth extending from its mouth!

* * *

 **Tremor Worm**

* * *

Despite only being on the first floor, this great beast more than exudes a malice that exceeds that of the FOEs they have encountered in the Forest of Foreign Marble! It lunges at Abel but is blocked by Karina, though its myriad of needle-like teeth passes over the rims of her shield and stab at her thick armor, nevertheless poking a great many holes in her guard! Kai slashes at its exposed skin, dealing what he recognizes as serious damage. This large worm has few defenses aside from its considerable constitution, and he figures they can just wait it out and wear it down slowly.

Mary chants to make the worm seize up, but it quickly breaks out, attempting to thrash about, but Kai and Simon hold its tail in place before Simon darts off-

Simon treats to Karina's short term wounds while drawing a mace and batting the needles away, causing the worm to retract and flop around violently, shaking away Kai and causing a small earthquake! They all struggle to stand their ground as its tail whips forward, catching them all in a serious attack, sending them into a wall, all except Karina, who stabs her shield into the ground to prevent herself from sliding along the slimy floor. It rears up and begins its attack again, but Abel flies overhead, catching all of their eye as he has transformed into a Fafnir! His right arm fusing with his New Katana and forming a sort of hydraulic cannon!

He lands behind the worm, his feet touching the ground alerting it to his presence, but he places his palm against its slimy hide and roars like a monster, the katana extension firing out like a nail gun, punching clean through the worm! It screeches in primal agony as he unloads his Fafnir energy into an explosion of power, filling its exposed lower half with every elemental form of devastation, quickly blowing the worm up from the inside out!

Guts and needles rain down around them as he falls to his knees and begins to pant. Everyone regains their bearings and collects what they can from the FOE before packing up and heading back to town.

* * *

They near the outdoor bar, the sun now starting to set, to see Hook still standing there with an unzipped brassier. She notices them and raises an eyebrow at the trophy in their hands. Tremor Worm Needles.

"Ah, I see. Ye lot are different from the rest of the weenies in town… I'll keep ye in mind if anything particularly nasty comes my way. The person who gave me the quest left this as a reward." She says, presenting what seems to be a one-handed mace made entirely of monster bone. The composition may be unimpressive, but the skill at which it was built is very interesting, as if an artist sculpting diamonds were suddenly reduced to carving wood. The quality is undeniable, and they accept it with graciousness, Simon deciding that he gets the most use out of his blunt weapon and decides to use it himself.

They take the remainder of the remains to TT's tradehouse, and the weapon on his belt instantly catches her eye.

"OH MY GOD, IS THAT ONE OF SHILLEKA'S WORKS?!" She babbles, quickly leaving her counter to examine it.  
"Hmm? Shilleka? We just got it from a quest. We figure it used to belong to the departed." Abel answers. Tin-Tin puts a finger to her chin.

"Hmm… I recognize that craft anywhere. Though she normally leaves it to her artisans, there are a very extremely delicate operations that she herself takes part in… but this seems so new… I had no idea she was still working." She closes her eyes in an uncharacteristic show of restraint before returning to the desk.

"We can talk about this later, for now I assume you all have something to sell?" She asks. They present the needles and worm hide to her, to which her eyes light up.

"Ah, these must be from the infamous BF1 Tremor Worms… no one's bagged one yet, you guys are the first. Ahead of the curve, are we?" She winks, accepting them in return for 200 ental and sending them on their way. The artisans will create something with them eventually. For now they simply return to the Inn and rest before tackling the rest of B9F and exploring the beginnings of B10F.


End file.
